The Beast Within
by irish-smitty
Summary: Sequel to Uncharted Territory, part 2 in a 7 part Data/Heva series Heva is abducted by a rogue freighter captained by Lore, Data's evil twin. Using his powers of seduction, Lore attempts to sway Heva to switch sides and join him. Rated M situations
1. The Plague

_Captain's Log:  
Star Date: 56758.2  
For the past several weeks my crew and I have been studying new insect specimens for the crew of the science vessel, The Orion. It's the only assignment we've been required to do for a while now. So far it has proven to be an interesting experience for us all. One of the specimens, according to Doctor Crusher, is volatile in the search for a cure to a disease which has plagued the Arimur system; a star system we encountered a few months ago after receiving a distress call asking for a doctor. Since then, Doctor Crusher has been left there studying the effects of the virus on the planet Urchin; the planet with the highest number of casualties. We were assigned to the Orion in the hopes of finding something that will lead the doctor to a quicker cure. For this assignment I have appointed Commander Heva Brookes. With her knowledge of anatomy, the structure of chemicals and molecular studies, I saw it fit to have her lead in the hopes that she will aid the doctor in creating a successful antivirus to save the people of the Arimur system. I only hope that she has enough time to do so._

The stress was becoming too much for Heva at this point. Specimen after specimen went past her and every single one was either close to what they needed or far from it. Sleep deprived and irritable, Heva sat in her quarters staring bleary eyed at the monitor on her desk; each specimen's genetic makeup rushing across the screen at the slowest speed possible. This plague in the Arimur system was becoming a plague in her mind. Nothing could distract her from it, nothing could rip her away from it and nothing could kill her determination to help Beverly find a cure.  
After a frustrating hour and a half of staring at the computer screen, Heva pushed herself away from the desk and stomped over to the replicator. "Coffee, black." She mumbled to it. After a few seconds, a hot cup of coffee sat in wait to be ingested. Even lifting a mug made Heva's arm feel weak and overworked.  
The Commander made her way back to her desk only to veer off to the left and fall down on the bed. The coffee in her hand somehow found its way to her nightstand, not spilling by some miracle. Every bone in her body craved rest, but Heva wanted to keep going. Something about the way this plague was affecting Urchin had her heart on a string, dangling it about and making it insane. She couldn't sleep, she rarely ate, and her very own thoughts couldn't find peace. Suddenly the doorbell beeped at her and she sat up so quickly she became dizzy. Her lights were now dimmed for some reason. "Computer…what time is it?" she grumbled, her voice raspy.  
"It is currently 09:00 hours." The computer replied casually. Heva jumped out of her bed and rushed to her desk. The specimen counts shot up to 750 instead of 432 like it was the last time she sat there. Not only did she fall asleep on the job, but consequently she now also had an extra 318 specimens to examine and only three days to do it in.  
After kicking herself for falling asleep, Heva remembered the door and said in her still rasping voice "Come in."  
Data entered and looked around. When he finally spotted Heva slumped over her desk staring at the monitor he approached her slowly. "Heva…I've been looking for you. Where have you been?"  
Heva mumbled something into her arm. "Pardon?" Data asked. "I fell asleep." Heva snapped, raising her head to look at him. Data appeared taken aback by her reaction which made Heva feel guilty. "I'm sorry, Data. It's just…I am supposed to complete studies on all of these specimens in three days. It's taken me a week to process a little over 400 of them and now I have an extra 300 or so to study. And after that I'm going to have a new load of 250 to complete if I want to meet Doctor Crusher's quota. I could never finish this in time."  
Data's face fell. He finally approached her and, with what seemed little to no effort, picked her up out of the chair and carried her to her bed.  
"I can't sleep now, Data. I have work to do and I already had a nap." Heva protested wearily.  
"Heva," Data argued, placing a hand on Heva's shoulder. "You need more rest. The Captain knows you have been working very hard on this project. He has also assigned a team to assist you. Knowing this, you should have rested days ago. The team can finish the studies on the insect specimens. They have been ordered by the Captain as I have been ordered to report here and make sure you get some rest."  
Heva looked at him, blank. "So you came here not out of worry but on an order?"  
Data understood Heva's tone and grinned. "Actually, I requested permission to see if you were all right. The Captain then smiled and told me that it was a good idea and to "Make it so." which is usually the Captain's form of an order. So technically-"  
Heva pushed a finger to Data's lips, halting his explanation. She leaned in and replaced her finger with a tender kiss and released him with a smile. "I get it. I know I've been working a bit too hard…but this is really important. If we don't find a cure for that plague…it could spread further throughout the galaxy. It's already at the edges of the Arimur system and its symptoms have been reported in the neighboring Ally system."  
"I wasn't aware that it has gotten that far." Data said, surprised.  
"Yes, that's at least what Beverly reported yesterday. The whole purpose of studying insect specimens is to find an insect that carries the bacteria, Kerulium. It's makeup is supposed to eliminate the virus' main components and kill it, if not contain it, when combined with certain chemicals. The doctor is trying to find the correct mixture and if I could just find ONE specimen with enough of the bacteria and send her a sample…we could cure something that could potentially wipe out billions of people."  
Data just smiled at her. He chuckled and Heva looked at him reproachfully. "What are you laughing at? This is serious?"  
"I know that. But when you talk about it so deeply, I find it…adorable?"  
It was now Heva's turn to laugh. "Is that the correct term?" Data asked, looking slightly embarrassed.  
"Yes, Data. That's the correct term. You could also use…gorgeous…cute…sexy…"  
"Now, you are crossing the line from modest to slightly self centered."  
Heva let out a hearty laugh and lay back on the bed with a heavy sigh. "I just hope this works…what puzzles me is we still haven't come up with a cause. The Kerulium cure is only a theory. If that doesn't work we are back at square one. This is just too much pressure on both of us…"  
Heva's eyes drifted out of the room and focused somewhere else. Her mind wandered on some of the worst and some of the best possibilities while Data looked on.  
What if the Kerulium bacterium WASN'T the cure? What if all of this work was done for nothing and all of those people just continue to die? Heva's brain seemed to pound like her heart and wanted to erupt from her skull.  
Data must have sensed the pain, for he gently laid Heva back onto the bed and stood. "I should not be here while you are resting. You must get some sleep before you even think of going back to work tomorrow."  
Heva smiled weakly up at Data. "Thank you…I'll try." She leaned up and Data met her halfway with a tiny peck. He nodded at her and left the room slowly, glancing back every so often to make sure she hadn't gotten out of bed to get more work done when his back was turned. Heva had no intention of getting up just yet. Data was right, she did need rest. Perhaps only sleep could calm the anxious voices in her mind.


	2. So Close

The next morning came too quickly. Everything was blurred, as though someone replaced Heva's eyes with someone going blind. She rubbed them and winced as sleepers scratched her cheeks and fell into nothingness. Heva stumbled over to the replicator and requested in what had to be the voice of a much older woman to anyone else, "Coffee…black…No, wait! Add some Irish cream. Not the liquor, just the flavor. "  
Though in all respects the computer shouldn't have understood a word she said, it did and the steaming cup of Irish brew greeted her with warmth and comfort. The first sip was ecstasy. She sat back in her desk chair and inquired about the time. The computer reported it to be little after 04:35 in the morning. An early start, this was just what Heva was hoping for. "Computer, locate the Captain."  
"The captain is in his quarters." The computer droned.  
Of course, the captain had to still be asleep by now. "Computer…please state the status of project 0-266-195, bacterium specimen analysis and biogenetics research."  
"967 specimens have been scanned, separated, and filed. The remaining 33 counted have been saved for your analysis as promising prospects. Do you wish to analyze now?"  
"Negative. I will finish later. Transfer any information on the specimens and the remaining prospects to my computer. I will report back in less than two hours, if I haven't please give me a verbal reminder."  
"Affirmative."  
Heva stood, feeling satisfied. Somehow she knew that things would tie up quickly. She didn't expect that the team would work it all out in one night. Perhaps the Captain split the team into individual groups and had them work it out faster that way. Either way she had work to do. She rushed to her restroom, dressed, freshened up, had a quick breakfast bagel and half jogged to the science lab.  
The lab itself was a flutter of voices coming from every direction. Heva stood and observed the teams as they went about their work. She could tell that many of them were tired. Ensign Harvey looked as though she was about to pass out. "Harvey, you are relieved of duty. Go and get some rest." Heva said, putting a hand on Harvey's shoulder. The weary smile she received in return was enough for her and she watched the Ensign shuffle out of the lab. After trolling the entirety of the lab for a while and relieving some of the staff to their quarters, Heva decided that it was time to take the information she'd gathered so far to Captain Picard. She left Lieutenant Robinson in charge and sped off to the hall. She halted and realized it'd only been an hour since she'd woken up and arrived at the science lab. He could still be asleep.  
"Computer, locate Captain Picard."  
"Captain Picard is in his quarters."  
Heva cursed under her breath. She had another hour and ten minutes to spare until she scheduled herself to report back to her own quarters to finish the analysis. Heva grinned suddenly. "Computer, locate Commander Data."  
"Commander Data is in his quarters."  
Heva turned on her heel and quickly walked to Data's quarters, feeling suddenly light and worriless. She stood at the door waiting for Data to allow her to enter. Every inch of her flesh began to quiver as though she were about to meet true love all over again.  
The door slid open and there he stood, he stooped slightly for Spot was perched on his shoulder and back. "Oh, hello. I didn't expect you to be awake for another-"  
Heva threw her arms around Data's neck and placed her lips softly on his. Spot retreated like a child fleeing from his love struck parents. Data's eyes remained wide for a moment in surprise and then slowly gave in to the weight and shut peacefully. Heva pushed him backward into his room until his bottom came into contact with his desk. There they stood wrapped up in one another for a moment, releasing one another reluctantly.  
Both of them stood with eyes shut a few seconds. Then slowly, reading the other's mind, they opened them and stared into each other's eyes. "Good morning." Heva whispered.  
"Hello." Data breathed back. If he had a human heart, it would be desperately beating against his chest, seeking freedom from its binds. His hands traced the map of Heva's back as they stood in one another's arms. She smiled and closed her eyes. "I like that." She commented. "What brought this sudden surge of intimate expression?" Data asked.  
Heva lifted her head and smiled. "Just a good night of rest I suppose. Something tells me today is going to be a very fulfilling day. I feel like we are extremely close to ending this plague. All 1000 have been scanned, 967 show no signs of the bacterium. However 33 more are promising. I'm so glad that the team pulled together and worked as hard as they did. Some of them had been up since…two days ago. And now we're close to finding the right insect life to contribute to this cure."  
Data grinned down at his lively woman. "I'm glad you're happy. The team was extremely eager to help you. Some of them even mentioned that they would put every ounce of energy into helping you out. Ensign Harvey was most keen. She admires you a great deal."  
Ensign Harvey's weary, exhausted face flashed across Heva's brain. She felt a rush of gratitude toward her and made a note to express it to the Ensign when the opportunity arose.  
"Did you arrange the teams to work the way they did or was it the Captain?" she inquired.  
"I would have to say it was the Captain. I am too modest to take full responsibility. I did suggest it. He was the one who initiated it though." He looked away for a moment toward Spot, who was up on the windowsill, purring happily. Heva turned his head back to face her and kissed him. "Thank you, Data."  
At that moment the Captain's voice echoed throughout the room. "Commander Brookes?" his voice asked.  
"Yes, sir?"  
"If you don't mind, I would like to speak with you in my ready room when you have a chance."  
"Of course sir. I'm on my way now."  
Heva rubbed Data's cheek for a brief second and whispered "I have to go." Data nodded and as she walked out, their hands held on until the last inch of their fingers slipped out of their grasp. "I will see you when you are relieved of duty." Data said. Heva nodded and grinned at him before bowing out, leaving Data to repair the liquid consistency of his knees.

"Come." The captain said to the door, knowing Heva was most likely on the other side of it. Indeed she entered a few seconds later with the most rested look about her she'd ever had. Heva recognized his surprise and answered the unspoken question. "I had a good night's sleep in what seems like forever. A very good morning followed it as well."  
Jean-Luc nodded and waved an arm toward the chair in front of his desk. Heva sat and leaned forward. "Sir, the team has made excellent progress. Although we've completed scans of all 1000 possible specimens, 33 stand out and I'm supposed to double check them in about a half an hour."  
The Captain nodded in approval. "Impressive, Commander. You've been working very hard on this project. Doctor Crusher asked me to deliver her thanks to you when I got the chance. She isn't sure if she's found the correct chemical mixture. But if you finish the specimen analysis in the time allowed I am sure that she will find something very soon."  
"That's good to hear. I just hope we find whatever we can in time." Heva said, her face suddenly grim. "Don't be discouraged, Commander." Jean-Luc reassured her. "There is always hope for things that seem hopeless."  
Heva smiled and nodded at him. She opened her mouth to speak when the computer interrupted her. "Commander Brookes, your studies are ready in your quarters." Picard looked at her curiously.  
"I guess I had less time than I anticipated. When I'm done with the last insects, I will report back to you with my findings." She stood, as did the Captain, and took her leave.  
Heva only made it halfway down the hall, the prospect of finding a cure still growing steadily in her mind, when a red alert was issued. The words "Intruder Alert" surrounded her and she found herself sprinting to the Captain's ready room again. The turbo lift opened, shut, and flew to her location. She ran in to find the Captain staring wide eyed out his window. She stood beside him and found the freighter floating alongside the Enterprise just as quickly. They looked at one another and ran to the bridge together.


	3. Intruder Alert

"Lieutenant Worf, assemble a security team to search all decks! Commander Riker, make sure all staff reports in every five minutes. Commander Brookes, return to the science lab. A security officer has been assigned to guard while you quickly finish your analysis, just in case that is what they are after. I also want some officers to accompany Commander Data to search any other stations that could hold information or studies of extreme importance. Our first priority is the science lab. Don't forget that!"  
The Captain barked his orders ferociously with responses just as urgent and prompt. Worf contacted several members of security as fast as he could. Heva ran from the bridge at the speed of light, Data at her side.  
In the turbo lift, they didn't speak. They merely looked at one another quietly. Heva's breath came in quick, anxious spurts. Data could sense her nerves as they danced around them in the air. The minute the lift doors opened at Heva's stop she looked apologetically at Data and sprinted toward the science lab. Her feet carried her with fumbled grace only to catch on something dropped on the floor and throwing her into the air. She hit the ground with bone breaking force and felt warmth underneath her nose. Her hand lightly touched the area and retracted to show that her nose was bleeding, badly. She had no time to worry about that now, however. She had to make it to the lab.  
She stood, too quickly as it turned out, and felt extremely dizzy. Her steps began to slow to a shuffle as blood continued to pour out of her nostrils. "Commander Brookes…to the Captain…" she breathed.  
"Yes, Commander?" a frantic Picard replied.  
"You will need to…assign someone else to my station…I've tripped and have caused my olfactory stations to overflow with blood. I need…to reach sickbay. I'm feeling dizzy."  
"I will have you beamed there immediately!"  
"No…It's just around the corner…I will be there in a matter of seconds…"  
Suddenly Heva felt a restraint encircle her waist and carry her in the opposite direction. Her oppositions were muffled by a cold set of fingers embracing her lips. Slowly, Heva faded into night, sirens sounding distantly in her head.

The red alert was suddenly averted and every being on the Enterprise paused in their tracks. Data and Geordi looked at one another with the same question dangling on their tongues. Geordi was the first to utter it. "Was the intruder caught that fast? Really?"  
"They must have. Otherwise I am certain the alert wouldn't have stepped down."  
Something happened then that no one expected. The ship rocked violently starboard, throwing both of them off of their feet. Once the turbulence ceased, Data pressed his com badge. "Captain, what has happened? Was the intruder apprehended?"  
"I'm afraid not, Data. I want you and all of my senior officers in the observation lounge immediately. We have an emergency."  
Data and Geordi made their way to the observation deck with haste. Something inside Data told him that whatever was wrong involved Heva. He couldn't explain it. He just somehow knew what they were all about to be told.  
"Commander Brookes…has been kidnapped." Picard confirmed Data's fears with a heavy heart. He gazed over at the Commander to find his eyes fixed on the table, his hands forming gradually into fists.  
Gasps erupted around the room and a feeling of tension made its way around the group like a gaseous blanket.  
"We aren't certain who has abducted the Commander, or their reasoning. We do believe it may have something to do with the Arimur plague. There have been some systems demanding a cure to the spread as well, though their outbreak isn't nearly as distressful as that of the Arimur System's. Some of the upper commanding officers of Star Fleet have informed me that there have been bandits attempting to invade the compound in which Doctor Crusher is trying to develop a cure. However I am sure that someone has gained knowledge that Heva is a strong component in finding said cure and has taken her with the purpose of forcing it out of her. We are still uncertain, this is mere theory."  
Commander Riker interrupted him. "But isn't it pointless to take only Heva? She's merely doing specimen work, which she hasn't even finished. The only logical reason behind taking her and her alone right now is to take Beverly as well sometime in the near future."  
"That is a possibility, Number One." Jean-Luc conquered. "Counselor," Picard turned his attention to Deanna. "Did you sense anything before the alert was put up?"  
"No sir." Deanna replied. "I did feel tension coming from you and the rest of the crew throughout the duration of the alert. I also felt some things from Heva not long before she was captured I assume."  
Data's eyes snapped over to the counselor, wrought with worry. "What did you feel?" he demanded. All of them turned to him. They knew he must be feeling especially concerned.  
"Well…" Deanna began, unsure of how to approach Data with the subject. "I felt a sense of panic. The captain informed me that she reported an injury not long before the alert stood down. The feeling heightened not long before everything ceased and then there was nothing. I assume she was panicking either about her injury and worrying about getting to her station. Or she was anxious about what was happening as she was being captured."  
The room went deathly silent. All of them scanned the air for answers, avoiding Data's gaze with every ounce of control they could muster. Data's fists shook on the surface of the table. He stared at his trembling limbs. They seemed to be ones that didn't belong to him, though he could feel them erupt with tremors.  
"At 06:58," Worf began, breaking the silence. "We detected a small freighter just beside us. It came out of nowhere."  
"We attempted to contact it," Riker continued. "But all hailing frequencies were blocked. Then the intruder alert rang out. We didn't detect any transporter technology aboard the ship, so we assume that whoever it was either intruded via shuttle craft or had a portable source of transportation programming on his or her person."  
"How many life signs were aboard?" The Captain inquired.  
"That's just it…" Worf trailed off.  
"There were none." Will finished the Lieutenant's sentence.  
"None?" Picard gasped. "Absolutely none? How is it possible to read no life signs and yet have an intruder on my ship?!" Jean-Luc's tone escalated with every word of the question making his staff recoil slightly.  
"We…have yet to figure that out, sir." Riker replied, timid. Picard began to pace anxiously around the room. His mind was a rollercoaster of theories, yet none of them gave him the rush of discovery he wished for silently.  
"For whatever reason and by whom this act was committed, there is little time to find. The plague in the Arimur system continues to spread, even to other star systems. The doctor is running out of time and I can't be sure but I hate to say that the Commander may be as well. We need to track that vessel down and get our officer back as soon as possible. There are many lives at stake here. One of them just happens to be our friend…someone special to all of us."  
Data looked up at the Captain and they shared an understanding gaze for a few brief seconds before Jean-Luc went on.  
"We need to start now. Number One, Worf, and Commander Data I want you on the bridge scanning for ships in this sector. Deanna I want you to contact the doctor and inform her of this unfortunate event. Geordi I want you to go about your regular duties. I will alert Star Fleet. Make it so."  
With that, all of them dispersed and hastily performed their assigned duties. Every single one of them, one in particular, began to feel a sick worry. For Data, it wasn't a new sensation. But it was different in a way, and he didn't want it to linger anymore.


	4. Captured

The piercing pain that pulsed from her neck around to her forehead caused Heva to stir. She blinked her eyes open and it suddenly occurred to her that she was not familiar with her surroundings. This had to be the setting for some sort of awkward dream.  
The walls were a dark shade of rust and bore supplies that one would think only applied to the capture of large animals. There were nets, spears, guns, and many other weapons similar to those. The surface she laid on turned out to be a shipping crate. Several more were lined up along the walls of this room. All of them were locked tightly, Heva found this out by later attempting to pry them open. Wherever she was, it was much too quiet in a most foreboding sense. She walked down a corridor to her left and made her way through several doors, observing everything closely.  
The vessel was dark, quiet, and eerie. There were not many lights on and there weren't many rooms to search. Each one she did search, however, was empty save for the same shipping crates like that of the one she awoke laying down upon.  
Heva closely examined a com panel in one of the corridors to find some sort of clue. There was no response, at least none that she could understand. Languages were never something she strived in. She put a hand to her chest only to find that her com badge was gone. Panic engulfed her and she frantically searched the ground to see if she'd dropped it; nothing. Wherever she was, there was no way she could tell anyone about it for now.  
With no success, Heva tried to remember what happened to her. The last thing she remembered was falling down. Her hand quickly touched her nose and upper lip. There was dried blood here. Looking down at herself she found stains on her uniform. After the fall she could remember nothing no matter how hard she tried.  
Heva had no idea how long she had been on this ship, who brought her here, or why. Yet no matter how nervous these things made her feel, the separate feeling of fear that consumed her was what made her the most desperate to leave. The air of darkness was almost overwhelming.  
Whatever ship this was, someone obviously had to be flying it.  
"Computer?" Heva inquired, not knowing if this ship was one she would understand. There was a faint sound like a bird's tweet that responded instead of a voice. Hopefully this meant that the system understood her language. "Lead me to the bridge by igniting lights along the wall panel."  
To Heva's left on the wall panel a small, lit, red circle appeared. She walked in the direction it was in and along with her many more circles lit up to lead her way. After going through a labyrinth of corridors, turbo lifts, rooms that were interconnected, and a few dead ends even Heva finally reached the bridge. Since the vessel was medium in size, the bridge wasn't as vast as the Enterprise's. It was also very dark and seemed to be empty save for whoever was at the helm.  
She stared at the back of the man's head for a moment and then rushed forward, sighing with relief. "Data!"  
He turned to look at her and once their gaze was matched Heva halted and her blood ran cold. The eyes looking back were as unfamiliar as the ship she stood in. The face, the body, everything she observed around them belonged to Data. The eyes, however, were strangely cold and morbid. While the blissfully ignorant relief in her brain told her to move forward, another new and frightened consciousness whispered one frantically urgent request to her:  
"Run."

"Mr. Data, report."  
The Captain's voice seemed so far away. It was as if Data were under water and any voice that beckoned him was above the surface, out of reach. His focus was in and out of control over those past couple of hours after Heva was kidnapped. Try as he might, nothing could seem to pull him out of the tunnel he found himself in.  
"Commander." The Captain's voice was much closer now. It was less stern than before. There was a new tone to the melody; concern. There was no time for concern. There were so many elements to this enigma and not enough time to solve them all. They had to search and search hard if they were going to find out just what the hell was going on here.  
"Data."  
Data snapped out of his own thoughts and looked to his right to find Picard knelt beside him. The Captain studied him closely, his face drawn down with worry. "I am sorry, sir. I just-"  
"Data, I know that you're upset, I know that you are worried, and I know that just like the rest of us you want to find Heva. But in order to do that you need to keep yourself together. There are many things on the line here. Heva is one of them. If we are going to save her along with billions of other lives before it's too late we all need to keep our heads taught on our shoulders instead of worrying about what could happen if we ARE too late. Do you understand?"  
Everything in his mind made Data want to argue. However he knew that as an officer of Star Fleet he needed to be strong and do his duty and do it with precision if there was any hope of finding Heva. Though only having had emotions nothing short of 19 months, there was still a little trouble dealing with feelings of this nature. But if the Captain and all of those around him whom he respected and honored for their courage and dedication could do it, so could he.  
He looked straight into the eyes of the man beside him and nodded. "I understand, Captain."  
Jean-Luc gave a curt nod and stood up straight. "Report, Mr. Data."  
"So far our scanners have not reported any other ships in this sector. I have also been scanning for any low level transmissions made by any vessels without a Star Fleet designation. Unfortunately there is nothing to report on that either."  
Picard sighed. "Just keep sending those scans, Commander."  
"Aye, sir."  
"Mr. Worf, have you dug up any information on our mystery culprit?"  
Worf briefly scanned over his station monitor then replied "The freighter is a supply vessel that was stolen from a base on Starkemmer Three. The report given on the theft was filed eight months ago. There was no weapon's system or warp capability installed at the time of construction, however my scanners indicate that some alterations were made to the ship recently that have given it both of those elements."  
Will turned to look at Worf, puzzled. "Why would someone alter a supply ship with weapons and a warp engine? Or better yet, how could they do that in only eight months?"  
"Were any of the weapons fired recently, Lieutenant?" Jean-Luc asked, grimly.  
"Yes. The photon torpedoes and high impulse phasers have both been used in the past few months." A screen just beside the one Worf had been looking at blinked at him, signaling the income of new information. His eyes grew wide and he felt his heart slow to a deadly stop. Will and Picard both stared at him quietly, waiting.  
"Sir…" Worf began quietly. "New readings show that the ship is carrying large quantities of bio-engineering equipment. There are also some storage tubes that are filled with what appears to be a combination of the bacterial and chemical compounds Pestis, Yersinia, Celiosianistis, Thelioctonix, and Restonispin."  
The bridge seemed to die; the silence was so loud. Every living being therein at that moment suddenly became aware that the time they believed they had was sliced down to smaller an amount than anyone could ever want. It was Data, however, that sounded the dreaded bugle that confirmed and named their hopelessness. "The plague…"


	5. A Deadly Weapon

"_Captain's Log  
Star Date: 49876.3  
our time limit to search for and rescue Commander Brookes has been dramatically cut even shorter than we wanted. It seems that the freighter she is being held prisoner on is also carrying elements that attribute to the plague that Doctor Crusher and Heva herself have been trying to cure. I myself am not in total understanding of how this plague works. So after alerting Star Fleet to the heightened level of emergency in this situation I am going to attempt to contact the doctor to find out precisely what this disease is and what we can do to possibly stretch time to where we have more of a chance to save so many lives; including one that is now directly in the line of fire."_

"This plague is similar to Earth's Black Death in the 14th century. The symptoms are identical in nature and the bacteria that contribute to the aliment itself are of the very species from that time. However, though already an airborne virus, this plague has been intensified in strength by the introduction of Celiosianistis. This chemical slows the symptoms, which makes them draw out much longer than the original bubonic plague. Rather than killing it's victims in a matter of weeks rather than days. Also, rather than being transmitted in a smaller area like Europe, the maker of this virus also added the chemical compound Restonispin. It-"  
"Wait a moment, Beverly." Jean-Luc interrupted. "Maker? Are you telling me that someone constructed this virus?"  
"Yes." Beverly replied. "A bacterial virus with this many chemicals added to it has to be the work of some sort of biological lab. This plague was dominant in the 14th century. It disappeared for a while and would sometimes come up after that but it hasn't been seen since the late 20th century. Then all of a sudden it appears genetically altered with chemicals that have also been hibernating for a few hundred years! I'm sorry, Captain, but this is the work of someone with a vast knowledge of biogenetics, bioengineering, and chemical engineering. Now to finish what I was saying; Restonispin is a chemical that takes the cells of an organism and expands them, making them stronger and able to survive without oxygen."  
"That means they would be able to survive in the vacuum of space without a problem."  
"Exactly. That is how it's been traveling to other planets in the system. The virus is already airborne and it can attach to both organic and nonorganic substances like any bacteria. So if someone carrying the virus, even if they didn't know it or weren't showing any symptoms, boarded or even touched the hull of a ship it would hitch a ride that way if not solely in the system of the person."  
The Captain shut his eyes. He just couldn't fathom what kind of person would be evil enough to create such a brutal weapon to use for what seemed to be no apparent reason.  
"What about the other component?" he asked. "The Thelioctonix."  
Beverly's face drained a bit of color before she coughed and replied. "I have never seen such a thing in all my studies. This chemical component is what I suspect to be the push that sent this plague here and let it thrive."  
"What do you mean?"  
"What I mean is that after studying Thelioctonix, I have discovered that it is similar to the effect of an octopus shooting ink. Basically it attaches to the virus and engulfs it. The look of it is like looking at a snow globe. All of the other chemicals and bacterium are held inside an orb and if you add heat to it the virus multiplies at an accelerated rate and then spreads like a gas. If the virus was left as it was it would already be lethal. But with all of these other little pieces plugged into it, it's virtually unstoppable."  
Both of them were silent for a time. Picard observed the activity behind the doctor on the screen. Several officers were darting back and forth between stations, looking in every direction and speaking to one another rapidly and exchanging information. The force fields around them occasionally shimmered a bright blue, winking at him. He only hoped that they were enough to keep such a deadly predator from reaching his dear friend and her colleagues. He was however glad that she'd been lucky enough to find an area that was completely devoid of the damned thing at the time to do her studies and take the necessary precautions.  
"How are you so sure that the bacteria you were having Heva search for in those specimens is the cure for this thing?" he asked.  
"Well…The think about Kerulium is that it's been used against the Klingon disease Y'ughtan, which wiped out nearly a third of the Klingon population 6,000 years ago. Aside from the other added chemicals, that plague is very, VERY similar to this one. It's more theory than anything but it's all we have for now. I know it doesn't give you much hope but-"  
"Wait…it reacts strongly to heat?"  
Beverly gave the Captain an awkward look. "Y-yes…although most bacterium does anyway this one will, like I said, become a gas when given a high enough intensity of heat."  
"Would a photon torpedo be a good source of that heat? For that matter, would it even be able to be attached to a photon torpedo?"  
The doctor considered this for a moment. "I don't know. Why?"  
"The freighter that kidnapped Heva was recently equipped with weapon systems. Whoever created the virus is on that vessel. When did the virus first start surfacing?"  
Beverly turned away to look at a screen behind her. "Four months ago. It does fit the time frame. But how? It would take a while to configure weaponry to a vessel like that wouldn't it? Unless it was premeditated."  
Picard's brow furrowed. He thought for a moment then asked "How would you be able to attach this thing to a torpedo if you could?"  
"I'm not sure. I don't even think it's possible. Photon torpedoes are mostly consisted of energy. There has to be some other way that this person started the mass spread of this virus. Would you like me to some research to find out?"  
"Negative. I will have someone here do it. You need to continue finding a cure. And be careful, alright?" His expression grew soft and Beverly nodded at him, smiling. "I will, Jean-Luc. I promise." After the screen went black, Picard stood and made his way toward the observation lounge, instructing his senior officers to accompany him.


	6. The Captor

Once they were clued in on the disturbing details surrounding the Arimur Plague, the senior officers of the Enterprise lingered on a single thought: "How did this begin?"  
"Perhaps the weapon systems were merely installed for removing any obstacles that came in the way of this person's plan, whatever it may be, rather than using it as a catalyst for spreading this thing." Riker suggested.  
The others in the room considered this with looks and thoughts that mirrored that of someone sentenced to death. Nothing made sense. Nobody knew where to run. The moment they were in held no solution and everything around them turned black.  
"Mr. La Forge, I already asked this of Doctor Crusher but do you think there would be a way to somehow…attach the bacterium to a photon torpedo?" Picard asked.  
Geordi shook his head. "No. Photon torpedoes aren't exactly something you can touch and pick up, so attaching something that can spread over solid surfaces isn't possible. The only way to use them to aide in the spread would be to let the plague spread in the air on a small area of the planet and fire on that exact spot. With that method though it wouldn't spread nearly as far as it has been."  
"So we are back to square one." Worf grunted in frustration.  
"With the information we've got we should be able to come up with another theory. Hopefully one that can tell us a way to stop this thing. I want all of you to get back to your stations. Geordi and Data I want you to research any possibilities that you can and report to me the minute any kind of hypothesis pops up. Dismissed."  
For a moment, no one stood. All eyes were focused on Deanna. Her face was white and her eyes stared fearfully into nothingness.  
"Deanna? What is it?"  
A moment in forever passed before she finally uttered an answer. "It's Heva…"  
"What is it? Is she all right?" Data asked for the Captain.  
"She's terrified and very confused. I was already feeling things from her but the strength of her fear is increasing. She's still very much alive but whoever she is with is someone she is desperately afraid of. But something is puzzling me…the person she's fearful of is someone she believes she knows and at the same time she doesn't know him…"  
"Do you think she's close?" Geordi asked.  
All Deanna had to do was nod before the entire room emptied in only a few seconds. Worf, Will, and the Captain sped to the bridge to scan the area while Geordi and Data went to do the duties assigned to them. Data was reluctant only due to the possibility that Heva was close by. For now, though, he had to trust in his colleagues to find her.

"Welcome, Commander. I'm glad to see you've awoken. I do apologize for the accommodations. I know they aren't what you're used to, but you will have to make do."  
It was simply uncanny; even his voice was like Data's. But Heva knew that although his appearance was identical, this was definitely not Data. It was not only the eyes, but the smile that gave his façade away. While its intention pretended to give her reassurance, the underlying essence of malice frightened her and made her adrenaline begin to run rampant.  
"Who the fuck are you?" Heva demanded coldly.  
In a split second his smile faded to a blank, evil stare. The man stood and walked toward her slowly. Despite her fear she decided to stand her ground. This however proved to be the wrong decision. When he reached her, he stood and studied her face for a moment before his hand collided into her face throwing her off guard and down onto the ground. The force behind his strike blinded her momentarily from tears of pain. This didn't stop her from growling angrily and scraping to stand. She rose her fist and swung as hard as she could only to have it caught in the air.  
This merely made Heva more irate and she pulled hard against the vice grip around her wrist. Her opponent's expression filled with rage at her struggle and his free hand struck her in the chest sending her backward onto the floor once again. As she gasped for air he knelt beside her, grabbed her by the chin and turned her head so that he could look directly into her now bleary eyes.  
"I wouldn't be so rude if I were you. I could snap your neck in two with a flick of my wrist if I wanted to. So you'd best be careful with your choice of words and the tone in which you use them." His voice garnished that final sentence with a chillingly joyful sounding tone that made the color in Heva's face fade.  
Her captor freed her chin and turned to walk back to the helm. She stared after him. Part of her suspected that she'd been thrown into an alternate dimension in which her gentle, caring lover was replaced by an abusive, demeaning, and cruel man. The other knew, but didn't want to accept, that this was reality. A tear escaped and raced halfway down her face before she caught it and after wiping it away, stood. The man at the helm turned to face her, a look of demented satisfaction on his face.  
Heva wanted badly to attempt to fight back again knowing full well it wouldn't affect him, not even in the slightest degree. So she stood there staring back at him trying to keep her face devoid of any feeling. Instead, she sighed, rolled her shoulders back, and asked her question again.  
"Who are you?" It still had a defiant bite, but not as badly as the prior version had been. This seemed to satisfy him. He stood with his hands behind his back, which relieved Heva only slightly, and walked to stand in front of her again. All was silent. That wicked half smile returned and he shook his head a couple of times as he gazed down at her. His eyes looked Heva up and down, scanning every inch of her. A long time passed then he brought one hand out from behind his back. Heva winced away.  
"I won't hit you again." He whispered. The icy sting of this would be comforting phrase sent a shiver up Heva's spine and her feet somehow became glued to the ground. No matter how hard she tried, nothing in her body would move. She stood vulnerable to the fangs of the viper now and even if she could, there would be nowhere to run. As though he'd read her mind, his hand moved forward. His fingers laced through a few strands of hair that covered one half of Heva's face and moved them behind her ear. After pausing there, his hand slipped back to rest on her cheek. He brought his other hand out and it snaked up into her hair to sit on the back of her head. Heva began to tremble and his thumb slowly began to rub back and forth on her cheek, that smile still pasted on his lips.  
Every bone in Heva's body screamed out loud. But she stood silent. There was no voice left to use. It was as if everything inside of her had shut down and there was no way to restart it. She was trapped here.  
Suddenly, he began to lean in closer. Heva's heart pounded hard against her chest and she prayed inside her head that she would wake up soon.  
This just couldn't be. It was a nightmare and nothing more. It would all be over soon. It had to be.  
His cheek rubbed against hers and she felt his cold lips against her earlobe. She shut her eyes tightly, desperately begging in silence for it to stop. And, just as she was getting close to finally convincing herself that this was all just a horrible dream, he whispered an answer slowly into her ear:  
"My name is Lore."


	7. You Will Cooperate

Heva trembled in her new yet poorly fashioned quarters. On a bed constructed of cargo crates and blankets, she sat with her knees pressed against her chest with her arms wrapped tightly around them. Looking in on her would be like looking at a frightened child. That was exactly how she felt, too. She stared ahead as the conversation between her and Lore just a few hours before replayed again in her mind.

*

Lore sat across the long table from Heva sipping a glass of wine and dining on traditional Earth cuisine. A plate of the same pasta waited to be devoured in front of her as well. However, Heva's appetite was eradicated as she glared at her captor. This wasn't his first attempt at false kindness. After their meeting on the bridge, Lore allowed Heva to bathe and gave her a change of clothes while instructing her to meet him to dine. The whole time Heva stood in the shower she dug through her mind for an escape plot, but found nothing. Now here she sat, feeling more alone than she ever had. "Eat, my dear. It's going to get cold soon." Lore said, his tone mocking concern. Heva looked away to the window beside her. The streaks of stars that flew past while they traveled at warp speed were hypnotic. Heva wondered if there was a way to hypnotize herself so that all of this would seem like some sort of peaceful getaway rather than a dark prison. "I wish you wouldn't ignore me like this. I know you're still angry about what I did on the bridge. I've apologized a number of times. I just wish you would eat." Heva slammed her hand on the table and turned back to stare daggers at Lore.

"I am sick of your false hospitality. Just drop it. I know you have no good intention while holding me here at all. So just drop the act. I can see right through it." she growled. Lore wiped his face with a napkin and threw it onto his empty plate. "For an android, you eat like the pig you are." Heva said, leaning back in her chair and turning away. Lore rose from his seat and walked over to her. He knelt beside her and looked up at her. Despite his horrid nature, the fact that his appearance was so like Data's made Heva feel at least one degree of comfort; she knew Data and the crew would be coming for her and she would be out of here soon. "There is no ill purpose for your capture, Heva." Lore whispered. "As long as you cooperate with me, that is. As long as you do what I say, no harm will come to you." He stood and walked away slowly. Heva stared after him. She was not at all eager to learn of his intentions. "You see, Commander," Lore went on. "You will cooperate with me because you have no other choice. You are going to cooperate with me…because I have everything you want." "What make you think that?" Heva spat. "This vessel carries the elements of a virus you have been attempting to find a cure for. A plague that has already killed hundreds of innocent people and that will kill more very soon unless I am given what I wish for."

He paused for a deliberately long moment, letting his words sink into Heva like fangs. "You…you created the virus?" Heva gasped. "Oh heavens no, child." Lore chuckled in reply. "I didn't create it. I HAD it created for me. I captured a group of biologists from a science station in the Vorsey system a little over two years ago and ordered them to create a plague so strong and so fast that it would become a lethal threat against the Federation. I wanted a weapon to use for persuasion. I had it created so that I could get some attention." "For what? You got the Federation's attention. And I suppose that you're going to use me as your spokesperson to relay your request to the high counsel?"

"That is one of the reasons I need you. But we will get to that later. The point is, unless my demands are met…people will only continue to die. I will give the Federation the cure for the virus if they give me what I want. All I want is a galaxy class starship, a team of their best engineers, like yourself, and control of the Federation." "Control of the Federation?" Heva shouted. "You want a starship, engineers, and control of the most influential organization in the galaxy? What for?" "So that I can eliminate those that are too primitive, too inferior to a race that will overtake the galaxy within a manner of months. I will conquer anyone that gets in the path of my plan." Heva shook her head. She didn't understand this at all. "A race that will overtake the galaxy…? I don't understand. You're going to build your own race?"

"Exactly. I believe the galaxy should be influenced by beings that will aim to better the universe rather than one who pathetically attempts to better themselves and uses peaceful alliances in order to keep other races at bay. I am going to build an army of beings not unlike myself and my brother to take over the Federation and control all races that have formed an alliance with them. There will be order and if there isn't, there will be death." "So all you want is domination. All you strive for is control and if you don't get it anyone that you see unfit to live will die is that right?" Lore just smiled at her. He didn't answer because he had no need to. His wishes were confirmed. Heva shook her head and stared down at the floor. Then a thought occurred to her that she had to voice. "What do I have to do with any of this? I am an engineer yes but I don't see what I have to do with anything now." Lore slowly rotated and stared deeply into Heva's eyes. He took a few steps until he was in front of her again. She backed away, sneering up at him. He raised his hand and held her chin tenderly. "Your position on the Enterprise is one of importance. You've only been there seven months and already your rank as Commander has extended to bridge crew. Your vast knowledge of engineering, bioengineering, and other fields of that nature is one that I can use to my advantage. Your reputation is one of spirit and drive. I like that in a person, particularly a woman. If you aide me, I promise you I will seat you at my right hand and give you power beyond your wildest dreams." "Are you saying that you want me as a partner or a wife?" Heva asked, repulsed by his words. "I want you to be my link to Federation knowledge. I want you to help me in my quest to improve the poor state of the galaxy caused by Star Fleet's arrogant directive of peace and unity. I want you to leave everything you know behind and join me." Heva stared up at him in disbelief.

"And if I don't?" Lore chuckled and began to howl with laughter. He threw her chin to the side and walked to the window. He then turned to her again, a dark smile on his devilish face. "If you don't, I will unleash the plague onto the Enterprise. I will make sure that everyone you know and hold dear dies so slowly that they beg for the reaper to come. And as for my brother…your precious lover…I have something special in store for him if you do not cooperate." He reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a small vial. Inside was a blue substance that turned over like the liquid inside of a lava lamp. Heva stared at it, tears fighting to break free as Lore spoke again.

"This, my dear, is a compound composed of lethal chemicals and nanoprobes. If I release this into Data's system it will activate his pain receptors that are programmed into his emotion chip. When this happens, it will give him the sensation that he is being burned alive. The process is irreversible. It will take exactly ten minutes for his systems to be shut down but until then, he will experience a very painful death. All of this is in store for your beloved if you do not do everything that I tell you to do. Is that clear?"

Heva slowly sat back into her chair as tears fell down her cheeks onto the floor. Reluctantly, she looked back at Lore and nodded. "I'll help you, Lore." With a satisfied smirk curling onto his lips, Lore approached Heva and lifted her head. "You've chosen the path of greatness, Heva. You will receive rewards like those you've only dreamt of, I promise." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, but she pulled away and stormed out of the room to her quarters locking the door behind her.


	8. Growing

For hours, the Enterprise traveled on their intercept course at warp 7. The freighter still didn't pop up anywhere. The course switched whenever a signature did happen to turn up. However the search was beginning to make Data feel hopeless. It was an emotion he never expected to have. His confidence in his captain and his crew was always infinite. For some reason, though, now became an exception.

His emotions were a rollercoaster of frustration, anger, and worry. Now he sat in the captain's ready room with his head in his hands attempting to come up with an explanation for his irritable and unacceptable behavior over the past hour. He was sure that the captain would understand that this particular situation was unnerving and that anyone in his situation would break under the pressure. Though, this wasn't the first time someone Data cared for had been taken hostage. Why should now be any different? It was Heva. That was why. She was the most precious thing in his life, the one thing everyone looks for; someone to love and to receive love from. It was an immensely complicated thing for Data to comprehend…losing her. He now understood what people meant when they said that the loss of someone they loved or the very implication of said loss was something they feared the most. Captain Picard entered the room and Data stood. "Sir, I-" he began, but the captain held a hand up to halt him. Data's mouth shut instantly.

Jean-Luc sat in his chair and leaned forward onto his desk, studying Data quietly. No words were exchanged for a long time as captain and officer gazed thoughtfully at one another. Picard shook his head, an expression of wonder on his face. "It's amazing how much you've grown since we met, Data." he said quietly. "The years we've known one another are many, and yet I have never seen you so broken and so…distracted. Not even the first time you experienced emotion when you were concerned about your fear when Geordi was in danger just a few feet away and you did nothing faltered your concentration like this has. Isn't it amazing how the danger of different people in our lives makes us react in different ways?" Data's lip trembled and his gaze fell. "Is it bad to worry more about one person as opposed to another? Is it bad that I am more concerned about Heva now than I was about Geordi then?" Jean-Luc shook his head.

"No. It's part of being human to worry about different people in different degrees. You were very worried about Geordi's well being back then. You're more concerned about Heva now because she has a different relationship with you. For instance, if I were married and my wife were in grave danger I would be deathly afraid for her the way you are for Heva now." Data looked up at the captain. His face wet with tears. It was interesting, seeing Data cry. The fact that an android had been given this ability was something extraordinary. Data was so human in so many ways, and yet he still felt driven to become even more so. "I just want to know that she is alright. I feel so foolish. There have been many missions and many situations that I have been involved in where I have been fearless. I moved forward without any concern about what could happen to me. I have seen people cry under the stress, but I never truly understood why until now. I do love Heva with everything I am. But I feel childish for crying when I could be doing more to help find her and save her."

"Data, when the things most precious to him are taken from him even the strongest and bravest man in the universe can break. How you are now is possibly the closest to being human than you have ever been. I am sure that Heva wouldn't think any less of you for showing this amount of emotion. You are trying your hardest, and I know that it's hard. No one on this ship blames you for being worried or even scared. All of us are worried about Heva. And you, being so close to her, have just that much more of a right to be so than we are. She is your first love, the one you hold dearest and anyone would be this way if that was taken from them. I do understand what you are going through, Data. And I do need you to help me find Heva. I know you want to help me. But for now I think that you'd better be relieved of duty until you're feeling a little better. Everything will be fine, I want you to trust me on that. I told Deanna that you've been feeling extreme stress and she is in her office waiting for you if you wish to talk to someone about this further. I thoroughly recommend it." Data wiped his face and looked out the window. He didn't move, he didn't speak, he only stared out at the stars. His expression was grim, almost guilty in a sense. Jean-Luc opened his mouth to speak, but Data seemed to read his mind and answered the unspoken question.

"I could have prevented her capture. When we separated in the turbo lift…I went back just a few minutes later with my security team. I heard her communication with you and told the other officers to continue on. I asked the computer for her coordinates. She was just barely around the corner from me. I ran as fast as I could but just before I reached her location, the alert ceased. If I had just gone faster, I could have stopped her abduction…" "Data…" Jean-Luc carefully began, knowing full well how Data felt. "It isn't your fault that she was captured. We have no clue as to why-" "It feels like it!" Data snapped. His fists shook on the arms of his chair. The captain leaned backward, he wasn't shocked at Data's reaction; only saddened. Data stood and turned away from his captain. He leaned up against the wall, both hands against it's surface looking down at the floor with trembling shoulders.

"I have been told countless times that I am fast, strong, almost invincible. My fellow officers have commended me on numerous missions for my quick thinking and reaction time to distress. I have saved the lives of many a fellow officer. But now, I am terrified beyond measure. I could not get to Heva fast enough to help her. Do you know what it is like to be so efficient and so great at similar tasks to save your comrades but not fast enough to save the one you love? I do not even know if Heva is alive. I am uncertain of how her health is. I do not know if she is hurt, if she is scared, I do not know at all. I do not know, I do not know, I DO NOT KNOW!"

Data pounded his fists against the wall with every repetition of his last phrase. Jean-Luc rose and held his wrists as firmly as he could to stop Data's fit of rage. The friend he'd known for so long stared at him, anguish written over his face. "Data," he began quietly. "There will be times in this life where you can control the outcomes of events and there will be others that you will have absolutely no control over at all. In the event of the latter, you need to find the wisdom to accept that there are some things you just cannot change. The best thing you can do is remain calm, breathe, and try your hardest to find a way to help Heva now instead of reeling over what could have been. This is new for you, I know that. But you need to keep your head about you, for Heva's sake. " Data sighed and Picard released his wrists.

"I am sorry, Captain." Data whispered. "I am just-" "There isn't any need to apologize for this anymore." Picard said placing a hand on Data's shoulder. "You are relieved of duty until you believe you can control these new emotions. I had your session with Counselor Troi open as an option at first but now I order you to go and have it for your own good. It's good to let things out in abundance to your friends to feel relief sometimes." Data smiled and the captain returned his gaze. He nodded and exited leaving Picard to look after him. "Sometimes I wish I had your bravery." he said to his absent friend. "You may not know it now, but admitting that you are scared is one of the bravest things any man could do. And you, Data, are a man I envy among many."


	9. Hopelessly Hopeful

Data lay on his bed staring up at the ceiling. His session with the counselor had only just ended and it did make him feel better. However he still felt guilt and couldn't comprehend what level these emotions would reach when the time came to face Heva's kidnapper. Being human was so complicated at times.

Only an hour ago, Data stepped into Deanna's office to speak with her. She sat in the chair beside her couch with a content smile on her face. "I've been expecting you, Data. Sit down. Let's talk." Data walked over to the couch and sat down facing her. He placed his elbows on his knees and twiddled his thumbs, looking at them as they twirled around one another. "I have never felt so many things at once." he said at last. "I feel guilt at not being able to save Heva when I had the chance. I feel angry at whoever took her from here. I feel concern about her well being. Above all I feel determination at getting her back. But there are so many other things running through my mind that I have never experienced." "Like what?" Deanna inquired. Data shut his eyes. He couldn't put into words the feelings that flowed throughout his system. He knew how he felt, but there was no way to describe it. He lifted his hands and held them open on either side of his head. They shook, twisted, contracted, and spun in the air as he attempted to construct an explanation of his emotional state. Deanna watched him, intrigued at his newest human like behavior. As he struggled to pull a definition out and present it, she merely watched in silence.

"It is like…well…" he said. "It is similar to something I observed while studying the behavior of the children. I was working in the nursery, repairing the environmental system as it had grown quite cold and some of the infants were having trouble sleeping. Suddenly, one of the toddlers began to cry. I looked and saw that one of the nurses had taken a toy away from him. She placed it on a table top where it was too high for the child to reach it. When her back was turned, the boy attempted to get the toy back. He stood at the side of the table reaching up as high as he could to try and reach the edge. Needless to say, he could not. He attempted other things to try and obtain it to no avail. He then discovered that if he climbed on top of a chair, he could reach the top. He did this only to have the teacher take the toy away again and put it away in a cupboard that was even higher than the table. The child had what he wanted at his fingertips, only to have it ripped away again. I did not understand why the child was so upset about having this toy taken away when there were so many others around him to play with. I believe that this situation is best described with the one involving the toddler because it is most similar. Heva was in my reach, if I just went a little faster I could have gotten to her and saved her from being kidnapped. Instead, she was taken from me just when I thought I had her. I now understand the behavior of the child. What he wanted was where he could not get to it. He didn't want it taken from him because it was precious, it was in his eyes different than the others. It was his, no one else's and when it was out of his grasp it troubled him. He wanted it close to him as a source of comfort and joy. Without it, he was distressed. Just as I am distressed not knowing if Heva is alright. I cannot contact her to ask if she is hurt. I had my chance to save her and I could not. I did not understand why her apprehension worried me more than other times when those I care for have been obtained. I do care about you, Geordi, the captain, and all of my friends very deeply and I would be deeply concerned if any of you were taken and put in danger…but Heva is the woman I have fallen in love with. I hold her very closely and feel most comfortable when she is near me. When she is in harm's way, I feel determined to protect her. But she is somewhere I cannot reach, I cannot protect her while I am here. I know that I must help in pursuing the vessel in order to reach her. But I am restless, I yearn for a quicker way to get to her. It is all very hard for me to understand…"

He trailed off, the counselor staring at him thoughtfully. "I think you understand it perfectly, Data. " she said softly. "I do?" Data asked, somewhat bewildered. "Yes. When people have something they hold dear taken from them they feel a large range of emotions. They wish that there was a quick and easy way to get it back, it's natural to feel somewhat guilty. I'm sure the captain told you that?" "The captain did tell me that even the strongest of men can break when something he loves is taken. I just don't see how. How is a man strong when he shows weakness? I do not wish to be afraid anymore. I only wish to find Heva." Deanna moved to sit next to Data. She sighed and smiled at him. "Many men believe it's weak to admit that they show emotion at certain things. But others find that only a real man will let his weaknesses show. It takes a lot of bravery to admit that you're afraid. It also takes a lot of bravery to face the things that scare you." Data considered this for a moment. "So what you are saying is that by admitting I am afraid and by also being determined to save Heva…I am showing considerable growth in my pursuit of humanity." Deanna nodded. "It's ok to be afraid. I know that you'll find Heva. Because even though you're afraid, your love for her will overcome and you will save her. You need to know that even when you're scared, things will eventually be okay even when they seem hopeless. I'm sure you've observed that throughout all of the missions we've been on. You've just never experienced the emotion behind it until now." Data gave a small laugh. "You are right, counselor. We have been through many missions before that seemed hopeless. But we have always overcome. I feel silly for being afraid that we would not find Heva. I know we will, somehow." Deanna put a hand on Data's shoulder and pulled him into a hug. He returned it, smiling to himself.

"Thank you, Deanna." She released him and beamed at him. "You are very welcome. I know how hard it can be to be human. But you handle it so well, I believe you have been human all along." Now here Data lay, thoughtful and somehow content even with the fear of losing Heva fresh in his mind. He knew that there was much more to experience before he himself felt truly human. But it was times like this when he felt as though that was what he'd been all his life. His doorbell sounded, interrupting his train of thought. "Enter." he said to his guest. Geordi stepped in and Data sat up. "Data, the captain told me that you were feeling a little…unnerved. He explained to me why this was. " Data stood and shuffled slightly. "I am sorry that I did not go to you first, Geordi. I suppose I felt that you would find my fears unacceptable and even silly for a Star Fleet officer." he looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Data, I'm your friend." Geordi said. "I want you to know that if there is ever anything you need to talk about you can tell me. I wouldn't judge you for feeling anything like that. Okay?" "I understand, Geordi." Data said, smiling. "At least, I do now. It was difficult to deal with these feelings. It still is, in a way. But now all I want is to carry out the duty the captain assigned me to in the first place; finding out how the freighter spreads the plague virus without being detected. If I figure this out, it could possibly contribute to finding Heva faster." Geordi smiled and they both sat on opposite sides of Data's desk. Data pulled up the information on the freighter and Geordi pulled an information pad from his pocket. "So far, the only theory I have is that the freighter must have some sort of emissions outlet on the ship that can distribute the virus in mass quantities. What puzzles me is that even with such equipment installed, he would only be able to spread the virus over a few hundred kilometers. It would have no way to spread at the rate it has been without some sort of heating catalyst. So the question is, how is this guy spreading the virus over half the planet's surface if he's only using the emissions outlet?"

"Readings from the planet's atmosphere indicate that there are high traces of the virus being spread continuously from it down to the planet's surface…perhaps the freighter entered the atmosphere, released the virus and went back up into space escaping before it could be detected. No, it would need some sort of device to conceal itself otherwise the ship would have been detected by the Alliance, since it was the ship scouting that system at the time." "Well actually, I did detect a cloaking mechanism in the freighters programming. So it is possible. In fact, it seems to be the only theory that makes sense. If the freighter cloaked itself, entered the atmosphere and released the virus the heat from the entry would be enough to activate the accelerated reproduction that was genetically implanted in the virus and it would spread well over a third of the planet infecting the air supply."

"Would the Alliance still be able to detect the freighter once it entered the planet's atmosphere?" "Only if they were close enough to where the freighter entered it, the planet where the virus was first encountered was hours away from the ship at the time the virus was believed to have been distributed. We should tell the captain, it's only a theory but he will be able to let Star Fleet know what to look for." Just then the captain's voice spoke urgently from the bridge. "Commander Data, Commander La Forge, get to the bridge. We have tracked down the freighter and it is within sensor range." Both Data and Geordi stood and sprinted out the door. If Data physically possessed a human heart, it would have been pounding hard against his chest as he raced to the bridge.


	10. The Message

Data stepped onto the bridge and stared at the viewer. The freighter hovered what seemed like only a few feet from the Enterprise. He felt a surge of raw anger as he stared at it, but drive as well and he made his way to his station relieving the ensign that sat there prior to his arrival. The captain stood from his chair. "Worf, what do your readings say?" Worf looked over his monitor. "The freighter's weapon systems are offline for the moment. The warp systems were recently shut off. It seems as though they have just come out of warp and have been waiting here for fifteen minutes. They must have been waiting for us." "Scanners show two life signs aboard." Data reported, going over his station as fast as he would allow himself. Suddenly, before the Captain could order anything further, Worf spoke again. "We are being hailed." Data froze and stared forward. The whole bridge was silenced as the captain ordered Worf to put the transmission on the view screen. There stood Heva, her eyes were bloodshot and she looked extremely scared. Data looked at her longingly. She didn't seem to see him. Her main focus was the captain.

"Commander, are you alright?" the Captain asked. Heva nodded. "I'm fine, Captain. However I regret that my purpose right now isn't to speak with you about terms concerning my release. I am here to relay a message that you must then repeat to Star Fleet Headquarters. I am to transmit it to you, you must listen to it and send it straight to them is that clear?" "Commander, we must-" "Is that clear, Captain?" Heva's tone became frantic and her face showed tension. The captain reluctantly nodded. "Yes, Heva. I understand. Send us the transmission." Heva looked down and they could see her arms move, pressing the required buttons to send the message. "Transmission received, Captain." Worf confirmed. "Captain, you are not to pursue this vessel any further unless previously instructed not only for the sake of my life but for the life of those aboard the Enterprise." Heva said with difficulty. Her eyes became glassy, despite her attempts to keep herself composed. Her eyes fell on Data. He gazed back at her, feeling his rage grow as well as his fear for her safety. "Heva…" he whispered. Heva shut her eyes tightly and looked quickly back at the captain.

"Leave this sector and transmit the message to Star Fleet within 24 hours or this vessel with distribute the plague on the nearest planet. Once you have transmitted the message, you are to return to these coordinates and confirm delivery. Brookes out." As quickly as she appeared, Heva vanished from the view screen. Data's eyes were fixed on the vessel before them, his hands gripping tightly against his monitor. "Is there no way to beam her out of there?" Data asked, shaking. "The vessel has raised shields. Even so, there was no signal to lock onto. Her badge must have been destroyed." Worf answered. "Worf, play the message Heva sent over." Picard ordered, sitting back in his chair. He stared over at Data, who was lost as he stared longingly out at the freighter. Just then, the message sent by Heva began to play. Every soul on the bridge became motionless, frozen at the sight of he transmission's author. It was Lore. All eyes fell on Data before listening intently to the transmission.

"Greetings. I am Lore. I am not to be confused with my twin brother Data, who is an officer aboard one of your vessels. I am as different from him as night is to day. As you may be aware, a plague has spread throughout the Arimur system, without any evidence of a cure to be found. The plague was created by a group of biologists that I kidnapped some time ago. It's purpose was to gain your attention as well as aide in persuading you to give me what I seek. All you need to do is cooperate and the spread of this plague will cease and the cure will be handed over. If you do not comply, it will only continue to spread over dozens of star systems. If you wish the pandemic to be stopped, all you have to do is hand over a galaxy class starship, a team of your best engineers, and control of the Federation to be given solely to me. Once I am in control, all of my demands must be met or chaos will reign violently throughout the galaxy. I am giving you one week to hand these over to me or I will distribute the plague again, starting with Earth. Time is running out, I suggest you act quickly. You have my demands. I look forward to observing your actions."

Lore's face disappeared leaving the crew of the Enterprise in a state of shock. All of them remained silent, but inside all of them was a roar of defiance and a sudden feeling of unity against what they now faced. "Helm…set a course for coordinates 562.789-089.32. We will be within range of the nearest Federation outpost, we can deliver the message there. Mr. Data, I want to see you in my ready room. You have the bridge Number One." Data stood, trembling to follow the captain off of the bridge. With every step he took, he became more aware of the eyes that were glued to him. The level of gratitude he felt toward the captain for requesting his following grew the closer he got to the ready room. Once inside, the captain turned to face him looking stern. "Commander, I know I normally would never have to ask you but in these circumstances and with your recent behavior I need to know whether or not you are going to be able to perform your assigned duty without letting your emotions interfere. If you are unable, I suggest you-" "Captain," Data snapped, interrupting Picard abruptly and unexpectedly. Jean-Luc stared at Data, his mouth agape with surprise. "With all do respect, despite the fact that the discovery of Lore's involvement in Heva's apprehension has birthed a newer and more intense feeling of anger within me…it has also roused a stronger determination as well. Just because I was unable to handle these new sensations before does not mean that I will not have the ability to act as an officer aboard this ship as I always have in the past with the greatest precision not just for you and the sake of duty but for Heva." In an extremely long, drawn out, breathless stroke Data made himself clearer than he ever had before. Jean-Luc let out the breath he held while listening to Data and looked over his nose at him, smiling.

"Data, I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I doubted you." he said softly, placing a hand on Data's arm for a moment. "I…I was merely trying to see if you would be okay. I know that you've had difficulties not only now but in the past with your new emotional programming. Humph. That sounds so cold, doesn't it?" Data shook his head. "It is not cold if it is the truth. And I appreciate your concern, Captain. Really, I do." The two men stood looking at one another for a moment before both left the room. "All senior officers, meet in the observation lounge." The captain ordered, Data leading the way.


	11. Join Me

For hours, Heva carefully distributed the elements of the Arimur Plague into separate emission canisters. So this was how the virus was introduced, by casting it out while in the atmosphere by way of an exhaust valve at the rear of the ship. It was delivered in such small amounts, yet it proved to be so lethal. All Lore had Heva do for him thus far was separating supplies of the compound into the canisters to be saved unless needed. This seemed so menial compared to what he could have had her do. The purpose he described for her capture was becoming more and more transparent. There was something hidden beneath the surface and during the hours Heva sat there in that dark storage room aiding in a quest that she originally dedicated herself to stopping, she reeled over what it was Lore could be hiding from her. One thing was for sure, she was not there to help put his plan for domination in motion. Her mind tired and overflowing, Heva sat back from her unwanted labor to gaze thoughtfully ahead. Part of her was still determined to find means of escape. Another side of her mind darkened with paranoid thoughts of hopelessness. There was a chance she would be killed here. She could very possibly never see her captain, her colleagues, or Data ever again. The fear that engulfed her heart at these possibilities grew tears which began to flow uncontrollably while she sat up against the wall. Her hands clasped over her mouth to silence the sobs that scraped at her throat for escape. Now more than ever she needed to try her best to be strong in the face of danger. If Lore should hear her and discover her at her weakest point, her chances would fall lower than they presently stood.

After letting herself go for a short while Heva drew in a deep, shaky breath to calm herself down. She wiped her eyes and looked forward. Among the hopelessness and dread stood her natural instinct to be brave. She stood and held her hands behind her back and furrowed her brow. She began to attempt to quell her frightened thoughts with contemplation of her situation and a means to escape if there was a method at all. Everything about this freighter was primitive; aged to a point where none of the technology was useful to aide in creating a communication device. There was a shuttle bay with several shuttles. However since her and Lore were the only ones aboard, Lore could easily discover her attempts and attack her after she tried to leave the ship with the updated weapon systems.

As though sensing the subject of Heva's thoughts, Lore entered the room putting a halt to her plotting. He examined the three canisters that Heva had been filling, nodding in approval. "Done with the perfection I would expect from an officer such as yourself. Your dedication to duty has proven worthy. You may rest now. We won't need anymore of these unless your superiors fail to meet my demands." He held a hand out to Heva, offering to lead her out. Heva ignored it and left the room, heading toward her quarters. Lore followed briskly all the way to her door. He stood behind her, shadowing her until she turned to face him. "Is there something you require further? Or am I finished with menial tasks for now?" Heva asked through gritted teeth. Lore only looked into her eyes with a penetrating stare. He moved forward slightly and ran two of his fingers through her hair. She pulled away and glared at him, hatred boiling her blood. Lore kept his hand in the air near her head and continued to look at her as though she were a subject of experimentation. "You puzzle me, Commander. My dear brother, so flawed and unable to reach his full potential as a superior being is the soul receiver of your romantic affections. Yet knowing that you may never see him again and being in the presence of a more perfect and much more deserving version of your beloved, you recoil with disgust and disapproval."

"What makes you think for one moment that you would get any kind of positive contact from me after the way you've treated me, after the threats you've voiced, or after capturing me in the first place?" Heva snapped, repulsed. "I am everything Data is and more." Lore argued, stepping forward. Heva backed into the wall, trapped while Lore placed his hands against the wall on either side of her head. The distance between them gradually decreased until his face was so close to hers she would have been able to feel the breath upon her skin if he possessed any. "I could give you so much more than he could, Heva. His sole motivation is his duty, which could never be overcome by an intimate relationship. But I, I can set that aside and give you things that no other man could." "If ever there was a better example of what a man is not, you could easily take its place. Data is more a true man than anyone I've ever known and nothing will change my opinion of that." Heva hissed coldly at Lore, whose face remained constant with a look of frustrated determination. He sighed, bowed his head and went on with his half of the debate. "Data is not a man. He is a puppet, a machine programmed to become something he will never truly be. I know that you will argue that I am no different. However, I have achieved the combining of both emotion and logic without flaw. I have the capacity or separate myself from one thing and focus on another just as humans do. Data only wishes to serve and grow as an officer. He says that his wish is to be human, yet the only truly human things he has accomplished are centered around his existence as an officer aboard the Enterprise." "How would you know what he's accomplished, having only been close to him so few times in your life?"

"Does it matter? We're brothers, I know him better than you ever could because I am him. I am his equal." "You are nothing but a broken jumble of wires envious of a being he could never possibly be like. You can sit there and claim to be the perfect brother but no matter how hard you try to impress me with your similar appearance to the man I love and your so called flawlessness I remain loyal to Data." Lore's face contorted into a gruesome sneer and he leaned in closer until his nose lightly tapped against hers. He let his eyes bore into hers like knives, relishing the small drop of fear that began to spread inside of her pupils.

One of his hands slid across the wall to hold the side of her head gently while his other remained pressed against the cold surface of the corridor wall. "I am more than what I seem. I could do things to you that only appear in your darkest nightmares, or I could curl your toes with pleasures beyond your set expectations. I can be anything you want me to be. Your actions will let me know how I should be for you. If you are rude and defiant like you have been…" the hand resting against her head snatched a fistful of her hair and pulled her head back. He kept his nose against hers and followed it back until it seemed like he was on top of her. She didn't make a sound, just gazed as thought hypnotized into his cold and lifeless eyes. "…if you are the way you've been so far, I will snap your neck in half and kill Data along with the rest of the crew of the Enterprise. But if you are compliant and respectful…" Lore released the tight hold he had on her hair. Heva's head bowed and her breath trembled in and out of her lungs in swift, quick flows. She slid down to the floor, Lore following close behind her to kneel. He took her face in his hands and she looked back up at him.

"If you obey the things I tell you to do and treat me with respect, I will not only let them live, but I will give you all of the things I've promised you. Power, riches, all of the things the Federation could never give you. I will give you invincibility, immortality, and anything else your heart desires." his voice slowly lowered to a whisper, as though there was some hidden being among them that he wanted to keep this a secret from. Heva lightly pushed Lore away from her so that she could stand.

She faced the door and it opened for her, but all she did was stand there in front of it. Lore laid a careful hand on her shoulder and pressed his lips against her cheek. He then slid himself back so that his cheek grazed against hers and let his mouth rest against her ear. "You don't have to go back to the Enterprise. Everything you'll ever need is here with me. I could make your life worth something. Everyone will know who you are and give you the recognition you deserve. All of the dark elements of your past and the worries of your present will fade away and your life will truly begin to mean something. All you have to do is stay with me while I carry out my plans to improve the future. Think about it Heva."

He pressed his hand to her other cheek and kissed the side of her head then walked away down the hall. Heva stared after him until he disappeared then walked into her quarters and sat on her bed. Things were already not the way they should, but something just didn't seem right here either. Lore had delivered his message and had her working on new supplies of the virus to use to persuade the Federation into handing power over to him but her suspicions that Lore wanted something more or that his motivations weren't completely clear began to grow. Whatever it was, Heva wasn't willing to sit around and find out later. She laid back on her pillow and decided to wait until the night hours when Lore would take the ship off of auto pilot and occupy himself at the helm, leaving his quarters empty and vulnerable.


	12. The World on Our Shoulders

The senior officers of the Enterprise all sat staring expectantly at their captain, waiting for him to start the meeting. Picard sat with a hand over his mouth, silent and consumed with deep thought. After a few moments, he moved his hand away and took in a deep breath. "What we are dealing with here…" he began slowly. "…is not only a hostage situation, but something of a terrorist action. Hundreds of people are already dead from this biological weapon. Others are soon to be inflicted, I'm sure. The one thing that puzzles me is how someone like Lore single handedly acquired a ship, the virus, and the new systems aboard said ship." He looked over the faces of his colleagues, reading their attentiveness with gratitude. "We need to deliver the message. That much is certain. If we don't do that, Lore could very well find out and injure or…" he paused, halting his gaze on Data. They shared a knowing stare for a moment before Picard unwillingly finished his statement. "…or he could even kill Heva. Now we won't be in transmission range of the nearest star base for at least another hour or so. Until then we need to come up with a course of action to rescue Heva. Any reports?" Geordi leaned forward to reply.

"Doing an overall scan of the freighter itself, I found that there is a cloaking device installed, which is probably why we didn't notice the freighter when Lore intruded on the Enterprise. We did attempt to beam Heva out during the time we were close to them but I'm sure that he keeps his shields up constantly to prevent any kind of transport. And of course I'm sure that by now he's confiscated her com badge, which would make it impossible to lock onto her signal anyway. " "We have also discovered a possible method that Lore may be using to submit the virus onto a planet." Data added. "The virus is most active in reproduction when in contact with heat. On the back of the vessel, Geordi and I have discovered an expulsion port similar to an exhaust pipe on 20th century automobiles. We theorize that Lore loads the virus into this port, cloaks himself to avoid detection, and enters the atmosphere of a planet just long enough to release it while still inside. In doing this, the virus would spread over hundreds of miles in a manner of seconds." Picard nodded. "Yes, but wouldn't the cloaking device become weak under the stress of entering the atmosphere?" "Yes, but he still wouldn't be able to be seen very well from the surface. In order to avoid detection from ships, he must have scanned the area to make sure that no one was around before he entered." Geordi replied.

"That will at least give us some sort of method to warn headquarters about." Riker said, looking directly at Picard. "But are we going to be able to get back to the freighter before something does happen to Heva? Star Fleet wouldn't make us stay too long or send us on a separate mission while she's being held would they?" Data felt deep gratitude toward Will for his concern. He was sure that everyone around him was just as worried as he was and he knew that they would take action one way or another, but it just wasn't happening fast enough in his eyes. "I'm sure that my superiors will understand that I want to take full responsibility of any rescue missions towards Commander Brookes. I don't see why they wouldn't allow that. Counselor," He turned to Deanna. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to know if you felt anything particular from Heva that could clue us in on her condition to quell our worries at least a little bit." Deanna looked mournfully at Data as though apologizing for what she was about to say. This made Data feel what he was sure a human would call sick. She then sighed and turned to address the captain.

"Although her physical state is intact, her emotional status is everywhere. She is frightened but unwilling to show it. She feels defiant towards Lore but something inside her is making her feel incredibly eager to obey his wishes. She feels threatened but in a peculiar way." "What do you mean?" Jean-Luc asked. "Well…she hasn't been directly threatened herself. I would say that Lore has made some sort of threat towards Data or us. She felt a specific worry for Data's well being when she was delivering Lore's message." Silence fell over the room. It was a somewhat morbid feeling that decided to settle over all of them once Deanna finished talking. Data's fists slowly curled into tight fists on the surface of the table. He began to tremble with rage and tried his best to keep his gaze downward. He didn't want his friends to see him this way anymore, he didn't want them to worry about him. It wasn't his life that was on the line here. Everyone else, particularly the Captain, was immersed in their own thoughts and plans to execute a rescue plan. But all of them remembered their past experiences with Lore, and none of them were completely sure that they would make it before he became violent and even deadly toward Heva if he hadn't already been so. Just as all of them were becoming ill from these ponderings, the foreboding air was broken by a call from the bridge.

"Captain." "Yes, ensign?" "We will be within transmission range in fifteen minutes." "Thank you, ensign." "Sir?" Data chimed in, timidly. Picard nodded at him, acknowledging that he was listening. "Sir, I wonder if when we go on the rescue mission…if I could lead the away team instead of Commander Riker." Will eyed him in an odd way while the rest of them merely stared blankly. "Data, I'm not so sure that it would be wise for you to even go on the away mission. I understand that you want to save Heva, but due to your past experiences with Lore I would rather have you here on the Enterprise. I am sure that Heva wouldn't want you going and getting hurt." "I can handle Lore, sir. I do trust Commander Riker to lead the team, but I would at least like to go to talk Lore down. Despite our dealings in the past, he will listen to me. In his eyes, I am his brother. I am someone that he would be willing to hear. I highly recommend that I go along if not lead." Picard considered this for a moment, taking in the possibility that Data could get hurt along with possibly losing Heva. The very notion that he could lose one or both friends and two of the best officers he'd ever had made his stomach churn.

He looked thoughtfully at Data's calm façade. His yellow eyes which had once, long ago, been devoid of feeling now overflowed with a heavy heart. He seemed more human every day to Jean-Luc, and he understood what it was like to lose someone he loved so much. Data's new emotions were an experience which he still hadn't quite learned to handle properly just yet, Picard wasn't sure that losing Heva was something he was ready for. This was different than deaths they'd dealt with in the past. It would crush him inside and out and he couldn't bear to see his friend that way. It was already unsettling enough to see someone he saw as such a strong man torn down in the smallest degree just by having her captured. Though he wasn't truly willing to allow Data to proceed with whatever plans they would come up with to save Heva, he knew that he wouldn't be able to stop him either way. He sighed and approached Data, looking down at him with knowing eyes. "I will let you go on whatever mission we carry out Data. But I want you to promise me that you will be careful. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose either of you." Data looked back up at him and nodded.

"I promise, Captain." he replied softly. Picard smiled a sort of strained smile. He felt that no matter how confident he was in Data, there would never be a time in his career when he wouldn't be scared of losing any of the crew. A smile in a situation like this was merely to give them comfort. He had to try and be strong for them, strong as they were on their own. "Alright. I want all of us to get back to our duty. We will deliver the message to Star Fleet and take it from there. I will make absolutely sure that we are in charge of Heva's rescue. Even if they deny it I'm not so sure I'll give a damn." All of them stood and filed out of the room quickly. Each of them carrying a new, and yet light weight on their shoulders to battle with.


	13. Rescue Mission

"…and so you see, Admiral, I think that it should fall onto the crew of the Enterprise to rescue Commander Brookes. She is my officer and not only that but a beloved friend and colleague to many aboard my ship. We also have history with her captor, Lore. We have the know-how and experience to carry out this mission." Picard spoke these words confidently and assertively to Admiral Greg, whose weary and pale face stared down at him from the view screen; nodding in approval. "I understand, Jean-Luc. I authorize this mission and I will contact the Federation Counsel on the plague matter. We will have the Taurus, the Opal, and the Cygnus sent to aide you in taking it down and bringing the perpetrator into custody. Once you retrieve your officer, I want you to use any means necessary to keep that vessel in place and send the captain of the Taurus your coordinates. Captain Robins will be leading the backup team to assist you. If anything new develops, be sure to report to him immediately, understood?" the Admiral said in his low, gruff voice. Picard nodded curtly up at him. "Understood, Admiral. Picard out." The Admiral disappeared leaving streaks of stars on the view screen behind him. The Captain sat in his chair and turned to Riker, who was sitting in his accustomed casual manner; his torso slanted off to the left, his elbow resting on the arm of his chair with two fingers gripping his chin. He looked over his nose at Picard and spoke softly. "What if the freighter isn't there when we reach the previous coordinates? They could be light-years away by the time we get there." "I've considered that, Number One." Jean-Luc replied, keeping his voice down. They didn't want Data to hear them, his mind was already burdened so there was no need for him to worry about being unable to find the freighter. "I've had Worf begin a wide spread scan. That way while we are in warp if we happen to come across the vessel's signature, we can slow down and take him by surprise." "How are we going to get on the vessel if Lore constantly keeps his shields up? We can just fire on him until their integrity reaches 0%." "I've been thinking about that. I spoke with Geordi to see if there was any dampening field or something else that would prevent us from getting into the freighter's systems. According to him, there aren't any. I think that there may be a way to patch into the main computer and shut down the shields long enough to transport an away team onto the ship to find Heva." "Well if it isn't a Star Fleet vessel I doubt that we'll have any of the access codes to pull something like that off." Picard cursed under his breath. The reality that the options were limited was becoming more unpleasant with every significant moment that passed. Suddenly he looked up, a gleam of hope in his eyes. "Did we even scan the vessel to see if it had a Star Fleet signature?" "Even if it did come up as one of ours," Will replied. "It's a much older vessel with no transporter technology. It had to be equipped with updated systems to operate as a rogue ship. Would we even be able to hack into the system if it's that ancient?" Picard considered this for a moment. "I'm not sure. I'll have to talk to Geordi about that. You have the com." He stood and half jogged to the turbo lift. Data turned to watch him and for a moment their eyes met. Jean-Luc couldn't take much more of this. He'd known Data for years, seeing him in this much pain was abnormal to the point of disturbing. As the doors shut in front of him, a morbid inquiry rose in his mind; If it came down to it, how would he tell Data that there might not be a way to rescue Heva?

"The vessel is definitely not one of ours." Geordi sighed after nearly half an hour of scanning the information already in their possession. Picard struck the back of Geordi's chair and took a step back. Just as he was about to cave into helplessness, Geordi brought him back up. "However," he continued. "Considering the updates with warp engines and weapon systems of Star Fleet design, we may be able to find a way into his computer."

Picard raised an eyebrow at Geordi, waiting for an explanation without requesting one. Understanding, Geordi went on with more pleasing news.

"All of these components are wired into the main computer. To access them, you need to be at the control panel _of_ that main computer. If we can probe into the weapon system I can make a route for a control virus to get into the circuit board and we can bring the shields down that way. If I can't do it that way, I will find another. Either way, it is possible." "Good." Jean-Luc sighed. "When we reach the freighter, I want you to infiltrate the system as quickly as you can. I will go and explain the plan to Riker and Data. I want you to begin construction on the computer virus and map your re-routing strategy." Ending on a sharp note and turning away before Geordi could agree to comply, Picard left engineering. Geordi watched his back and felt his chest tighten. If he screwed up one equation, one single character in this plan…he could very well ruin everything for the captain, for the crew, and for his best friend.

Though these thoughts caused an uncomfortably high anxiety to cloud his mind, Geordi set to work.

Picard raced to the bridge and into his ready room. He was not at all surprised to see Data standing therein, anticipating his return. Once the door closed behind him, the Captain began to speak as readily as his tongue would allow so that Data couldn't begin an unnecessary argument. "Data, Geordi and I have found a way to get into the vessel's main computer. Once the shields are down, I will be sending you, Commander Riker, and Worf onto the vessel to retrieve Heva. I do not want you to let your emotions get in the way-" His words were forced to stop by Data's suddenly raised hand.

"Sir, this is not what I came here to discuss with you." his voice was heavy, wrought with an agony that Picard had never heard before. He stood still waiting for Data to continue. The android looked away from his captain, his eyes fighting to keep the flood gates up. He felt so weak, so melancholy. When he began his assignment on the Enterprise, he never let the kidnapping of a colleague effect him. Even when him and Heva first met and both of them nearly died, he wasn't this broken apart. Yet something within him kept him going. Maybe it was his less human attributes that kept the frailty of those emotions at bay. Whatever the reason, this internal battle was too much of a mystery even to him.

He turned back to Picard, a face of stone like that of an emotionless droid relaxed on his face. He could tell the Captain was taken aback by this. It was so familiar and distant to him all the same.

"Captain, I have always been an exemplary officer aboard your ship. I have never let the dramatics of this life interfere with my abilities as a member of your crew nor my skill which led me to the position I am in. I wish that my emotion chip was still within my system so that I could deactivate it to better perform at this time, but I cannot. I am sorry that I have been so distracted. I am sure you understand that, considering we have spoken about it a few times since Heva's abduction. But what I want to know is…" he paused. The question lingering at the edge of his lips was painful. He wasn't completely sure whether or not he was able to utter it.

"I wanted to ask…" he continued reluctantly. "What are the odds that Heva will be alive when we find her? Her exposure to the plague is inevitable since the vessel is carrying it…By now she could be fully infected. Either that or Lore could have killed her. The odds in my mind are very low, but I want to hear what you think the possibilities are." He stopped bluntly to choke back anymore words that could fall out on the subject. Picard stared at him open mouthed and wide eyed in disbelief. He was not sure how to answer this.

The silence between them grew longer while Data's hope for a positive answer grew dimmer. His captain, his confidant, his friend stood quiet before him with some sort of assurance about Heva's life at the tip of his tongue. If Data interpreted his pause as anything, it was that the odds were against Heva. However just as he was about to express this thought, the Captain spoke.

"Data, of all the people I know you've always been the most admirable. I have told you this before. But I have never known you to have such concern. I know that in times of distress, emotions take hold and the most negative and paranoid thoughts will plague your brain. It's normal, know that. I can't tell you whether Heva is alive or not, because I don't know. What I can tell you is that if she is alive, we will get her back and destroy Lore as well as the virus. If she isn't…" He didn't want to finish this sentence, knowing that as he did the thought of Heva's death in Data's mind would strengthen. But he had to give Data some sort of prepared sense of closure. "If Heva is dead…funeral arrangements will be prepared and she will have a proper send off. We will celebrate her life, not grieve for her death. But that will not be so." Data hung his head, nodding. The word funeral rang in his head loudly as he made his way out of the room leaving Picard to stare after him mournfully.


	14. Middle of the Night

Heva lay quietly on the bed, her eyes were closed but only to emanate a sense of false sleep should Lore look in on her. Hours had come and gone since she finished her work with the plague and since then she mulled over the possibility of a plan. She knew that she could get into Lore's quarters, there was no doubt. Once she was in there, she would look for a log or some private means of recording information. He was hiding something and she knew it. Though the risk was high and she could very well be killed in her pursuit for answers, she had to know what was really going on.

She checked the time, 11:30 hours. She listened with a dead heart for Lore's footsteps in the corridor. He always walked by this room on his way to the bridge. Sometimes he would peak in on her. Other times he would merely pass her by. It was only a few short days since her capture, however the pattern was very clear. And there it was; the light, rhythmic pounding of feet down the corridor. The sound grew louder and, to Heva's horror, died once Lore was in front of the door. Heva found herself paralyzed on the bed. She had to force herself to breathe heavily like one in a deep sleep. She hoped with all of her might that he wouldn't come in tonight only to have those hopes dashed as the sound of her door opening echoed in the blackness.

He drew closer to her until she could feel him right beside her bed. She distinctly heard the light rustle of clothing as he knelt beside her. It instantly became a harder task to act like she was passed out. She could only pray she was convincing. Suddenly, the cold bite of a hand intruded her senses while it began trailing down her left cheek. It moved roughly down her face, over her jawbone, and over her throat. There was a pause just as his fingers laced over her collar bone and she felt his body climb over hers. The fear coiling around her heart constricted. She didn't want him to touch her anymore. His lingering hand began to make her skin twitch uncomfortably. "Please stop" she begged silently.

She could feel his hair against her neck as he bowed his head onto her shoulder. The hand on her collar bone was now pressing in harder, crushed by his chest. It became harder for her to breathe, though not from the pressure of his heavy body on hers. Lore turned his head, his lips grazing Heva's temple slightly. The lightest shiver rushed vertebrae after vertebrae down her spine and her mind went blank.

Much to her displeasure, Lore pressed his lips against Heva's hairline. Once he let go, they found her ear again. "I wish you would see me as you see him, Heva." he whispered. The words sank in as Lore rose away from her and Heva heard him stand. He hesitated at her bedside for a few moments then left the room, his footsteps slowly expiring down the hall. Heva slowly sat up and leaned forward onto her knees. Among the other encounters with Lore in which he attempted to seduce her, this didn't feel so cold. Now her suspicions of a hidden purpose were so high that she leapt from the bed and covered herself with the robe Lore provided to her before entering the hall.

Checking to make sure she was alone, Heva stepped out and followed a path to Lore's quarters. The corridors were black except for the dim glow of the computers on the wall. Heva's eyes strained against the unnatural darkness while her hands served as sight to find Lore's door. At last the wall caved in and she heard the quiet whooshing as the door opened for her.

The room shed some light into the corridor which made Heva dash inside just in case Lore should be lingering behind her. She slowly exhaled and pressed her back against the wall, relieved that she'd gotten this far. She scanned the room. There was no bed, only a small cot that barely looked used. A desk sat against the wall across the room. A monitor and a few information pads sat on it, hopefully important. She walked over to it and examined each of them. Two of the pads merely gave information on the ships makeup and the status of the newly installed systems.

She then came upon one that gave the formula for the antidote. Her heart jumped as she scanned the complex, yet simple composition. Beverly had been right about the bacteria needed, but the other mixtures therein were unrecognizable. Her eyes scanned over it with top speed, memorizing it as best she could before moving on. The next pad was empty, so from there she went to the monitor.

There were log entries from the past week in the system. The third one was made only a few days prior to her capture. Heva opened it.

"Star Date 56758.2. My pursuit of the Enterprise is proving quite successful. My readings show that I will be at their coordinates in 22 hours and 11 minutes. At that time, I will infiltrate the ship and kidnap the Commander as planned. Hopefully, I will have his attention once this is done." The entry ended. 'His' attention? Whose? Heva was unsure if he meant the Captain or someone else. Perhaps the head of the counsel? She moved on to the next entry for more answers.

"Star Date 56768.3. I have the Commander on the ship. She is indeed fiery in spirit, but like all humans she has her weaknesses. However her drive is exactly what I need to carry out my purpose of taking over the Federation and improving the galaxy's current state to my liking. She along with the other officers I will ask to be provided with will make perfect tools in my journey to a better future. I'm sure that by now he's become quite worried. Hopefully once my message is delivered and my intentions made clear, he will come for her." "Star Date 56778.4. The message has been delivered and soon the Federation will break to my demands. I will have control. But it will be lonely…I have offered the Commander a place at my side. I have never felt something like this in my whole life. I want him to join with me…but having Heva Brookes at my right hand would be equally as valuable. Perhaps the both of them together would be just as satisfying if not more." "He. Him. Ugh!" Heva snapped under her breath. She couldn't stand the secrecy in these entries. Hopefully the answer would be in the entries following.

"Supplemental entry. My original intentions of having my dear brother, Data join me in my rule over the galaxy have changed. Like in my previous entry, my offer to Commander Brookes to join me has gone from motivational intention to true want. Though having Data beside me at the throne would give me great advantages as well as having power from both of our skills combined, having a queen is just as appealing. Perhaps I could just drain Data's memory banks into my own and keep his woman with me instead. This feeling is altogether new to me. But I have no doubt that my only purpose for carrying this out is to have knowledge of Star Fleet through my beloved bride and brother rather than anything else."

Heva sat quietly. Her blood boiled as the rage pooled in her stomach. She knew that Lore's reason for kidnapping her was more than what he told her it was. All along he'd intended to use Data as his link to the Federation. He wanted to use Data's knowledge to penetrate their systems and get inside so that he could take over more easily should his original plan fail. He would use him and the engineers to build a race of beings not unlike them; a so called 'perfect' race.

He told her that she was going to be this link. But really she was only the bait for the bigger fish; Data.

Now, he wanted Heva by his side and to use both her and Data's knowledge to take control. She couldn't let that happen.

"I have to destroy him." Heva whispered to the emptiness. "Somehow, I have to. The Enterprise will come for me. If they do, they'll find a way onto the ship and Data will be with them. If he comes, Lore will take him and to save me Data will relinquish without question…I can't let that happen. I won't let it."

Heva stood, turned, and screamed as Lore's fingers found her throat. The look in his serpent colored eyes was livid, frosty and evilly lustful. He lifted her off of the ground, air became harder to consume as she grew higher. Her eyes began to pulse as she gasped. His expression never changed while she stared helplessly down at him.

Just as Heva felt she would lose consciousness, Lore threw her violently to the ground. Heva's head came into contact with the corner of Lore's desk on the way down. The pain radiated from her temple down into her now watery eyes. She attempted to stand and fight only to be thrown back down with a blow to the face. The taste of blood paid a morbid visit to Heva's tongue; her lip was cut.

Lore kicked her in the stomach, causing blood to spray from Heva's mouth. Another heavy hit and Heva felt as though she would die. Lore grabbed Heva's shirt and pulled her to stand and bent her backward over the desk. With his free hand he slapped her hard across the face three times before finally halting and bringing her forcefully to eye level.

He scanned her up and down, anger flowing from every inch of him. Heva spat at him, getting him directly in the pupil of his left eye. It had no affect physically. However Heva found that this was a wrong action as his hand gripped her cheeks tightly, forcing her to stare directly into his eyes.

"Now that you are fully aware of my plans, Commander," he hissed. "It's time for you to help me alter them. And you will do it without defiance. I will see to that." He released her briefly only to grab the back of her collar to pull her screaming out of the room and down the hall. Her cries echoed through the silent corridors only to be heard by the walls around her.

Here, she was now more alone than she had ever been.


	15. Unexpected Surprise

"Captain," Worf said suddenly as they traveled in search of Lore's freighter. Every head turned to the Lieutenant, eager to hear about whatever he'd found; Data's ears perked up more than any of the others'.

"I am picking up a signal just barely a few light years ahead of us, it's Lore's vessel." "Slow to impulse. Mr. LaForge to the bridge. Commander Riker, take your away team to transporter room three and await my signal. Sick bay, stand by." In no time, Geordi was on the bridge at one of the computer terminals, Riker, Worf, and Data were in the transporter room, and every medical officer on board waited on their toes in sick bay. The rest of the crew waited breathlessly.

"Captain, the vessel is within visual range." the Ensign at the tactical station reported. "On screen." Picard commanded.

The freighter hung in space before them. It faced away from them, hopefully Lore wasn't aware of their presence just yet allowing Geordi enough time to penetrate the system. "Mr. LaForge?"

"I am in the system, Captain. I'm routing the control virus to the main computer through the weapon system relay….I'm in. Disarming the shields…" The entire crew stood still, suspended and tense in the moment before Geordi brought the shields down. However just as he was getting closer, the vessel cloaked itself. "Geordi…" the Captain said through his teeth. "That wasn't me, sir. Lore spotted us. I'm not certain if he knows that I'm in the system yet, but I'm very close. All I have to do now is de-cloak him and-" "Riker to Picard." Will interrupted.

"Stand by, Number One. The vessel has cloaked." Picard commanded.

"No, sir. It's Heva, she's aboard the ship." Riker said, his voice strained and confused.

"She's aboard the ship?!" Picard gasped with surprise. How could she be aboard? Lore had cloaked himself and he, as far as they could tell, had no transporter technology.

"O'Brian, what happened?" he asked his transporter chief.

"According to the computer, someone intruded the system and activated our transporter to beam Commander Brookes aboard the Enterprise." "Captain," Geordi cut in. "He's gone."

All of them stood speechless. What just happened? Had Heva's usefulness, as far as Lore saw it, come to an end? Was he after a new target now? Whatever the reason for Heva's return, Picard wanted to be cautious. "Sick bay, I want a medical officer to report to transporter room three immediately. Everyone there must be scanned to make sure they are free of any signs of the virus, understood?" "Aye, Captain." a voice replied.

Picard sat back in his chair, knocking his breath away. "Commander Riker, I want you back on the bridge. I must contact Captain Robins of the Taurus and alert him to the situation. " Without another word, Picard rushed to his ready room and to his computer monitor, hastily trying to contact the Taurus before Lore got too far away.

"You're telling me that this guy just relinquished your officer and took off?" Captain Gregory Robins asked, baffled. Picard nodded at his colleague, his brow furrowed with as many questions running through his mind as the man staring up at him. "That's right, Captain. I understand it as much as you do. However, the coordinates I've sent you will give you a starting point. I suggest that you, Captain Murphy of the Opal, and Captain Lawrence of the Cygnus pursue Lore while I retrieve my chief medical officer to help Heva. Her condition is far too deteriorated for the staff I have on hand." Robins nodded. "Alright. I recruited the Aphrodite to assist us just in case. The four of us should be able to handle this…Lore. He is after all one person. If we intercept the vessel and take him into custody we will let you know. Have you scanned your ship for the virus?" "Yes, so far there aren't any signs. Nothing came up on Heva or anywhere else. Hopefully when she comes to she will be able to tell us just how much of it Lore possesses to give you an idea what you will be dealing with. Use caution, Gregory. We don't know if he's spread it anywhere else just yet." Robins nodded at Picard again before he disappeared from the monitor. With a sigh Jean-Luc began to transmit a new call to Beverly. Before long, she replied and he explained the situation.

"I can't just leave my station when I'm so close, Jean-Luc. My assistants are brilliant but I don't know if they will be able to keep the antidote mixture intact." she argued bluntly. Picard shook his head at her, frustrated.

"I understand that Beverly, but none of the medical staff have been able to wake her. You are the only person she will really trust with her well being. I need you to see if she has a chance of living…this isn't just for the sake of the crew or myself or even for her…think about Data." Beverly's face crinkled into a look suggesting that she now fought with the principles before her. Should she stay and continue work on the plague or go aboard the Enterprise? "Would I be able to transfer my research to the Enterprise's computer so that I can uplink it to my office?" she asked finally.

Jean-Luc nodded. "Of course. Send the information to me now and pack up your things. You and your team shouldn't be there anyway, it's much too dangerous. I have already arranged to have another team sent down there to care for those who are sick on the planet."

The doctor waved her hand and shook her head. "I don't need to bring my team with me. The team that Heva worked with has been updated on everything I've been working on. They will do just fine to assist me while I'm there. But once we develop a cure, I am back on the planet's surface administering the antidote. Understood?" her voice took on a serious edge that Jean-Luc admired. He chuckled and nodded down at her. "Agreed." he surrendered.

Once the call ended, he gave the order to set coordinates for the Arimur system and made his way to sick bay to check on Heva. He was sure that Data would be there beside her waiting for her eyes to open, but he wasn't sure if they were ready for what might happen should they not reach the doctor in time.

Data sat beside the bio bed Heva's lifeless body laid upon, staring down at her. A mixture of anguish and rage filled his systems. Her body was so battered and bruised that she didn't look like herself. Her hair was damp from perspiration and tangled around her head. Her left eye blackened steadily more and more as the inches of time drew themselves out. A deep cut sat idly on her swollen bottom lip. Dark bruises were worn on her neck and arms resembling finger marks. Each breath was shaky and quick, as though something were stuck in her air pathways that she couldn't push out. Everything about her seemed different, weakened somehow.

As medical personnel circled sick bay, occasionally stopping to check on Heva, Data struggled with his feelings. He tried his best not to break down, convincing himself with the greatest of difficulty that she would be fine and that Doctor Crusher would soon be here to help her. It was practically impossible, but he managed. Voices around him seemed to fade into whispers and gradually into nothing at all. He kept a hawk's eye on her life signs every minute or so, terrified that she would die there before him.

The doors opened not long after a Lieutenant scanned Heva for complications. Captain Picard slowly walked over to Data and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked down to see Data squeezing Heva's right hand, trembling slightly. Empathy rose it's head and an overwhelming feeling of pity washed over Jean-Luc's heart while he gazed down at his dear friend. They sat silent beside one another; nothing needed to be said. Both of them knew that their feelings of worry and apathy were shared.

Picard's eyes drew to Heva's face. He remembered that once he felt an attraction to her and nearly betrayed Data. Yet now, after moving past that with her, he saw her as a daughter. It was odd, moving from a feeling like affection to one of family. Yet he knew now that his admiration for her had been confused with something else. Data understood and forgave this as did she. Now her she was, quiet and motionless. The traits that drew him to her were absent, possibly never to return. Both of them stared at her mangled form in anticipation, praying that her eyes would open and everything would be one hundred percent fine.

Data sniffled and Picard looked at him. For the first time while he sat there, he let the tears fall gently staining his cheeks with a lemon yellow line. The Captain's grip on his shoulder tightened and was met with Data's free hand upon his. The two of them consoled one another quietly, oblivious to the buzz of activity by the medical staff going on behind them like they were somewhere else entirely.


	16. Deeper Wounds

It took them a day and a half to reach the Arimur system. By that time Heva still hadn't awoken, but her condition improved. Once Beverly was aboard, they set a course to rendezvous with the Taurus, the Opal, the Cygnus, and the Aphrodite. Though neither vessel had sent word of their status in the interception of Lore's vessel, Picard was confident that they had at least found him and were in the process of taking him into custody. He only prayed that the rest of the crew shared that assurance.

Beverly stood beside Heva's bed in less than ten minutes scanning her and administering tests. Eventually she discovered that her left arm was broken, her right clavicle was fractured and she also had three broken fingers. After reporting to the Captain that she would be performing surgery, she immediately set to work.

The task was grueling and tiresome, but it was finished in only a few hours. Heva was laid back on the same bio bed she started out on as carefully as possible. Her arm and fingers were bandaged and her right arm put in a sling for the sake of her clavicle. It was hours before she finally awoke. Beverly alerted the Captain and soon, both him and Data stood alongside her bed.

When Data entered sick bay, he paused and looked into Heva's eyes. They were tired, weary, and if he wasn't mistaken…a bit frightened. He rushed toward her as though she were a magnet and took her hand gingerly in his. She winced slightly and he let go, a worried look coming over his face. "No, it's ok Data." Heva cooed soothingly. "It's just a scratch, I swear." she chuckled only to cough violently for a few moments afterward. Picard and Beverly stood on the other side of the bed beaming down at her. "How are you feeling, Heva?" Jean-Luc asked her.

Heva's eyes met with Picard's and a strange sensation fell over him. Here she was, looking up at him like she had many times but something told him there was a new Heva behind those sapphire eyes. He hid these feelings as best he could with a smile of relief to replace them as he stared down at her. "I'm weathered, but not beaten." she replied with a joking grin. Beside the Captain, Beverly scanned Heva's arm and fingers. "Your breaks are healing nicely." she reported. Heva nodded and sat up a little farther against the angled back of the bed.

"When will I be able to return to duty?" she asked, hopeful. Beverly clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Not for a couple of weeks yet. Don't worry though, all of the research we have has been transferred to my computer and the science team is hard at work with what we have so far. We should have a cure for the plague in only a manner of days."

"Speaking of the virus," Picard added. "Did you have a chance to find some sort of cure or an inkling of one aboard the ship?"

Heva stared off into space and they all waited patiently. Her eyes glazed over and her expression became disturbingly blank. Picard wondered if anyone else noticed this the way he did.

"No." she answered flatly. "I didn't find anything that suggested Lore possessed a cure. I was mostly put to work on the virus itself. The precaution of a mask and gloves was given to me…I was separating it into different canisters to be administered in different systems." "Yes," Data said. "We figured out how Lore was distributing the virus, there is no need to explain it." Heva's face suddenly fell and grew grim. She looked up at the Captain and suddenly asked "What is to become of Lore if he's captured?"

Data figured that this question presented Heva's hope for a strict punishment lying in wait for his twin. He barely tightened his grip on her hand and replied. "Once he is apprehended, Lore will more than likely be disassembled rather than tried. Since he wasn't before and was accidentally awoken, aiding him in escape after our last encounter, now would be an opportune time since he has wrought such destruction."

What came out of Heva next was both unexpected and shocking to everyone. She ripped her hand out of Data's, her eyes widening with an expression of anger. "NO! That can't happen!" She cried out. Beverly lightly pushed her back to make her lay down. Heva barely complied, however she calmed herself and looked deeply into the Captain's eyes. Now he was sure that something was wrong once the words following were uttered. "We can't destroy Lore. He must not be touched. I will not allow it."

Data stared in disbelief at Heva. He somehow felt as though she was a stranger now. Her face was so calm, yet her eyes were wild. And here she sat, defending Lore as though he was someone she cared for deeply. "Heva…" he said hesitant. She turned to him, her eyes never blinking while he spoke. "Lore nearly killed you. He has already killed countless people and plans to kill many more. He must be stopped…but you sit here saying that this should not happen…why?" "Because I want him to stay alive. He needs to stay alive." Heva replied, her voice like ice making the room feel dark and the air freeze. The three officers stared at one another. Data stood and leaned down to kiss Heva only to have her turn away from him. Pain entered and took a tight hold on Data as he stood back up and left the room without another word. Picard looked after him and then back at Beverly. Heva didn't look at them, only stared out the window across the room while they spoke in whispers, thinking she couldn't hear them.

"I want you to have Deanna meet me in my quarters…keep a very close eye on Heva and update me every hour on the hour." Picard mumbled. Beverly nodded, gazing with concern at the woman that seemed to replace her friend on the bio bed.

Deanna sat across from the Captain only fifteen minutes after all of them left sick bay. She didn't need to hear the Captain say a word before knowing there was something incredibly wrong. "I sense a strong feeling of worry and fear in you, Captain." she said upon entering his quarters. Picard merely nodded in reply. His eyes never left the stars beyond the glass. They peered back at him with a false glimmer of reassurance, making him feel worse inside.

"Heva woke up. But I fear that she isn't right in the mind after whatever happened on that ship. When we told her what was to become of Lore upon his capture she grew frantic, saying that he was to be left alone and that she wouldn't let him be disassembled. Data is very upset, as am I. He has every right to be; defending Lore like that and then ignoring him…it's very unlike her." He stopped here, feeling he'd made his point. Deanna stood silent, her mind attempting to grasp a fragment of Heva's in order to better understand the situation. Once she found it, she examined it and stood to cross the room while she spoke.

"I would diagnose this as Stockholm Syndrome, being that all of the symptoms are there; dependency, anxiety, anger at the prospect of Lore being destroyed…However Heva is still there. I think that this is just a repercussion of her imprisonment and torture. Lore makes her think of Data, so right now with her weakened state of mind she is confusing them. Lore means Data, Data means Lore. So when Data tried to show her affection, she ignored him the way she would intend to do to Lore. When she asked about Lore, she originally meant to ask if Data was alright. Her mind is scrambled, she just needs time to rest." Picard's face was blank. "Are you sure?" he asked. Deanna could tell that he didn't completely believe this.

"I'm certain, Captain. If there were something else hidden there…I'm positive I would have felt it."

"Good." the Captain replied. "I will let Data and the Doctor know. I just hope you're one hundred percent correct about this."

In just a couple of days after she woke up, Heva was able to leave sick bay and rest in her quarters. She received visits from both Data and the Captain many times during the day, which comforted her in a way. At the moment, her and Data were laying together on the bed. She lay her head on his stomach, letting him stroke her hair.

"I have to report back to duty soon." Data whispered sadly. He felt Heva's head nod against his stomach and she sat up. She bowed her head and shut her eyes tightly like she was in pain. He stood and rounded the bed to kneel before her. "Are you alright?" he asked timidly.

Heva nodded. "Yah." she forced a smile. "Just a head ache. That's all."

"Well, let me heal it for you." Data said leaning up to plant a soft kiss against her forehead. Heva savored the kiss at first, then threw her body backward crying out in frightened surprise. She held a hand over her forehead protecting herself and Data stared in shock at her. Just a few seconds afterward Heva lowered her arm and sighed deeply. "I'm so sorry, Data…I guess that this mind scramble I've got will take a while to go away…" She frowned and picked Data's hand up to place it against her cheek. He nodded in understanding just as he was being called to the bridge.

He gave her warm forehead one last peck and rubbed Heva's cheek. "You get some rest. I do not want you straining yourself. Remember that you must take your medication in one half an hour and another two hours after that."

"Yes, yes, yes." Heva groaned. "I know. I'll be fine. Just go to work, ok?" she smiled and rubbed the side of Data's leg just before he left, softly grinning one last time before the door closed behind him.

Heva shut her eyes again, attempting to make the pain in her head go away. The harder she tried, the more intense the pain became. She finally decided to go to sick bay. A headache was somewhat abnormal but she was sure Beverly would have something for it. Before Heva could stand to leave, her head was thrown roughly backward and she cried out as a searing pain stung like a blow from a baseball bat across her forehead. She twisted around on the bed as the feeling grew hotter and hotter, making her go blind. Her eyes watered and although it caused even more pain, she threw her hands over them and screamed louder when another searing jolt consumed her brain. At long last, it was over. Heva's eyes opened and she was calm. Her lips curled to form a side grin and she pushed herself off the bed. Her eyes scanned the room and fell upon an empty corner. Still smiling, she approached it and reached a hand out, patting the air like a blind man feeling for a wall,

Her hand finally fell flat in midair, making a thump. Her hand crawled across the invisible canister to find the control keys. She pressed a pinky to one of the buttons revealing a container filled with the Arimur virus. Her eyes widened and filled with a crazed joy as she stared gleefully down at her hidden cargo.

"Step one is over, my love." she said to herself, stroking the sleek steel surface of the container. She laughed out loud and put the cloak back up on the canister before turning away to leave the room.


	17. A Different Woman

**Heva seemed to glide through the sick bay doors. Her demeanor was that of someone free of cares, yet secretive about the means which brought her such happiness. Deanna stared at her through her office window. Something was very peculiar about Heva, she couldn't put her finger on it and this troubled her more than the obvious things did. She watched her carefully while she approached Doctor Crusher and began to speak.**

"**Good afternoon, Beverly." Heva sighed pleasantly, sitting against the table the Doctor was working at. Beverly looked up in surprise, mostly because Heva was leaning on her broken arm. Heva picked up on this and gave a tiny shrug. "It doesn't hurt nearly as bad as it did. I do believe your advanced medical knowledge has broken the record for repairing an injured limb."**

**Beverly's eye brow cocked and she smiled awkwardly, nodding at Heva. "Is there something you needed?" she asked.**

**Heva's expression changed, as though something she'd forgotten just dawned on her again. "Yes, I have been meaning to discuss the status of our research. I am sure you've studied the specimens the science team and I separated as possible carriers of the bacterium needed for a cure. I was wondering if you have concocted the chemical mixture in which to add it."**

**Her tone was so casual, so light that Beverly found it odd for someone who had been recently tortured and nearly killed. However she pressed on with a reply. "Yes, and for the past couple of days I've rifted through that final 33, I've found 4 that have the highest concentration of what we need in their system. I have added all four to different containers of the chemical mixture. I just need a sample of the plague to test it on. The samples I was using are still on the planet for the backup team to use." "What about headquarters?" Heva asked. "I heard that the labs at Star Fleet headquarters had samples of the plague to study with as well under your command. Why not go and use theirs?" Beverly's eyes lit up and she grabbed Heva's left shoulder lightly. "That's a perfect idea! I don't know why I didn't think of that before. We should go tell the captain. We aren't really that far out from there anyway. Come on!" As Heva followed the Doctor out of sick bay, she turned to peer into Deanna's office. When their eyes met, she made such a sickeningly wicked grin at the counselor that Deanna froze in place only able to stare out of her window even after Heva had disappeared.**

"**So, Captain, we propose that the Enterprise dock at headquarters and drop me there in order to complete my study. There isn't any other way and we are too far away from the Arimur system to go back there. It's only a two day journey to Earth and an eight day one back there. This makes more sense." Beverly spoke quickly, frantic to convince Picard to take the Enterprise to Earth. Heva stood quiet and calm by her side, smiling softly down at the Captain.**

**He nodded up at the Doctor, his eyes gleaming with possibilities. "I will reset our course for Earth. I am sure that my superiors won't have any issues with that. It could bring a quicker end to this plague than we thought." Heva nodded in agreement and turned to leave following Beverly. "Heva," Heva stopped dead and turned slowly back into the room. Beverly left without question, knowing that now wasn't the time to say anything more.**

**Picard and Heva stared at one another for a few moments as though studying each other for the first time. Jean-Luc felt the same discomfort here alone with her that he'd felt in sick bay just as she awoke. Though now, she seemed less panicky and more calm, collected and happy than she had just two days prior. His expression mingled between suspicion and professional and he stood to walk over to her. "Heva, I have been thinking about your encounter on Lore's vessel. I'm worried that whatever transpired there has had an effect on your mind."**

**Heva remained quiet and still, her eyes fixed on the wall like a statue's. **

"**Data has come to me twice expressing his concern towards your behavior. When you first woke up, the counselor said that due to your trauma you were confusing Data and Lore. She told me it would pass once you'd had some rest. I understand that it's only been a couple of days…however the fact that this hasn't yet ceased has my mind full of doubt. I want to hear from your mouth that you are going to be alright. But I'm still going to extend your medical absence by another week to be safe." He paused to set his feet firmly before hers so that he could establish eye contact. For a moment Heva kept her eyes forward, shifting the arm that was kept in a sling slightly out of apparent discomfort. When she finally rose her eyes to meet his, he found himself surprised at the calm behind them.**

"**I'm perfectly fine, Captain." Heva said smoothly. Her voice was like milk chocolate, silky and warm; without negativity whatsoever. Picard found himself not believing anything coming out of her mouth, but he let her continue. "I am grateful for the rest you've granted me, I do need it. However my mind will be fully functional once that rest is over. I assure you there is nothing to worry about. As far as Data goes, I will speak with him and tell him not to worry as well."**

**The two of them stood in the room together a while longer before Heva spoke again. "Is there anything else you need sir?"**

**Picard shook his head. "No. No that was all I wanted to know. You're dismissed."**

**Without another word Heva turned a heel and left. Jean-Luc released the air he'd been holding in his lungs and let his shoulders fall, hunching them over like an elderly man. He brought a hand over his bald head and walked around to his desk. He sat down and opened his monitor. He sent a message to headquarters to let them know they were on their way and then he contacted Deanna. **

"**Please meet me in my ready room, I have something to discuss with you."**


	18. She's Hiding Something

Jean-Luc sighed, unable to determine where he should begin the discussion. Deanna looked at him knowingly and, feeling the Captain's emotions run wild from unsure to frustration, began the conversation for him.

"You are worried that Heva is hiding something…or that she is an imposter." Once the subject was presented, Picard thought it would be easier to let the words flow to express how he felt. Yet now that it was on the table, he couldn't stomach it.

"I am more afraid of the latter, Counselor." He said grimly.

Deanna stood and walked to the window, her head bowed and eyes closed in deep thought. "Today when Heva came into sick bay…I felt something that I didn't feel before. I felt like I was looking at a stranger. She was so collected, so full of a strong sense of peace it was unlike how she has been the past day or so. Before today after she'd been allowed to leave sick bay to rest in her quarters I'd felt nothing but fear, revulsion and paranoia from her. She did try to hide it from everyone else but I could feel it clearly." She stopped here to inhale sharply. The Captain listened intently, it was as though he were hearing himself speak. Deanna's feelings mirrored his practically to a tee. When Deanna continued, her voice was hollow, fearful even. "Then she looked at me…her eyes were so….dead. It was Heva, but it wasn't. In between the calm façade and her pleasant demeanor I could feel Heva's fear and anger. In those eyes I saw neither. It was like looking at a corpse but feeling intense emotions from someone alive right beside it. I'm not sure what to make of it."

"Do you think perhaps the pain Lore inflicted on Heva has permanently damaged her mental well being?" Picard asked quietly.

"I'm not sure. It could have had an adverse affect on her like assaults do on many people. Lots of individuals suffer from multiple personality disorder and even post traumatic stress disorder after encounters not unlike Heva's." "Do you think there's something you missed? It seems all too…strange to me. Those sort of things usually come out over time, not immediately don't they?" Deanna tilted her head to the side and gave a curt nod. "Sometimes." she replied. "There have been cases where the victim was succumbed to the after effects almost instantly. In Heva's case, maybe it was because Lore and Data are twins. In her mind, since she's been behaving so irrationally toward Data, it could be that seeing him reminds her so much of Lore that she's taken back to the memory of her torture. It may never go away, and yet it still could. Perhaps we are just reading into things too much. I would like to begin having regular sessions with her until I'm completely certain."

Jean-Luc nodded. "Should we talk to Data?"

"Yes. I will later. I have already planned to call him to my office for a session regarding the effects Heva's behavior is having on him." Deanna's voice took on a subtle sadness that Picard picked up and understood completely. All of Data's life his pursuit of becoming human brought him many rewards and also some scarring elements. This, unfortunately, could be something that Data would have a harder time coping with than either of them wanted him to have.

"It's me." Data said to the closed door of Heva's room. He'd been standing outside of it ringing her bell several times to violent objections. Finally, Heva opened the door looking disheveled and scared. Her eyes found Data's and she breathed a sigh of relief. Data found it painful to look on her while she was like this. Whatever Lore had done to her, it had permanently scratched deep scars inside of her.

He reflected on his session with Deanna briefly.

"Allow her time to adjust." Deanna had said. "It would be best to give her time before we ask her to regale her encounter to us. She does need to let it out, and that might help her a little. But all we can do now is support her and let her know we're here to help her as well as protect her." "What if she never stops confusing me with Lore and she's afraid of me for the rest of her life?" Data asked fearfully. The expression on Deanna's face at that question still made Data feel sunken and hopeless.

"Then you will have to let her go."

The words echoed hauntingly in his mind while he followed Heva into her room. The scene that met his eyes was shocking. The entire room had been overturned as though a storm ripped through it. Clothes, equipment, information pads, glasses, and many more objects lay strewn about the floor. Some were broken while others poured liquids or decorative sands onto the floor. After scanning the room for a moment Data's eyes fell on Heva, who sat on the bed with her knees against her chest.

"What happened here?" he asked finally. When Heva didn't answer, he approached her cautiously and sat slowly down on the bed. Heva jumped a little and her eyes became round when they landed on Data. "It is alright, it is only me…Data." Data whispered, patting her leg gingerly.

Heva nodded rapidly and looked away. "I just…lost it I guess." She answered him at last. "I don't know what's happening to me. One minute I'm fine…the next I can't stand to be in my own presence…another I blank out and I don't remember anything that's happened…and yet another I'm afraid of the man I love. How does any of that make sense?!" She cried out and choked back a sob, hiding her face in her knees. Her shoulders quaked as she wept against her legs.

Data wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head, shushing gently and rubbing her back.

Heva sniffled and finally rose her head. "What's happening to me?" She asked, shaking violently. "I've been through a lot in my life and it's never effected me like this. The Borg assimilated me, I've nearly been killed countless times…I don't understand what's going on. Am I going insane?" The question lingered heavily on her lips and her eyes went blank with terror. Data couldn't find the words to say. He didn't want to tell her what she didn't want to hear, but he wasn't sure how to comfort her either. For the first time in his life he felt hopeless, as though everything was crashing down.

What if Heva did go insane and had to be detained in a mental health facility for the rest of her life? He would lose her to herself and there would be nothing in the world to save her. He held back tears and attempted to create a look of reassurance and console on his face. "You are not going insane, Heva." He forced. "This will pass. I promise this will pass." He held her to his chest and let a single tear escape his eye. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours before Heva finally fell asleep.

Data slowly lay her down and covered her with a blanket before he left her room. Walking down the corridors to the bridge like he always did suddenly felt like a journey through time to an inevitable hell that was waiting for him in what could be a manner of days, months, even short hours; a life that could possibly be without Heva.

* * *

I'm so sorry for the long wait for these chapters guys. We don't have internet at home and this was my first chance to submit them in the past month or so. I will have more on the way and I'm also sorry for some of the sloppiness. Enjoy!


	19. Night Terrors

Heva wandered the corridors for hours slipping in and out of consciousness. Her brain pounded with constant pain and she couldn't help but notice that every crewman she passed eyed her with caution. Ever since her earlier incident with Counselor Troi, she felt as though she was being dragged gradually down into the pits of insanity.

"I have been very concerned about you, Heva." Deanna said the moment Heva sat down in her office. Something inside of Heva screamed out not to say a word to her, but the better part of herself willed the words to leave her mouth. "I have been concerned about myself, Deanna. I don't know what's wrong with me…"

Deanna looked on her with knowing eyes. Something beyond them told Heva that she knew something she didn't; something Heva herself had no desire to know. "I just want to be sure that your encounter with Lore hasn't left any permanent repercussions on your mind. I need to know if anything strange has been happening to you; blackouts, lapses in memory, things of that nature. You can tell me anything."  
Heva's gaze trailed to stare blankly at the wall behind the counselor. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find herself to trust Deanna with this information. "_Don't say anything." _A tiny voice inside of her whispered wearily. Heva turned to look back at Deanna and quietly said "Nothing like that has been going on. I think that I'm just under stress. I know I will be ok. I just need to rest until I'm fit for duty again. Once I'm back on duty I'll be completely fine. If you don't mind…I would like to go and rest now…my head…" She trailed off into silence and stood to leave.

"Heva," Deanna said with some urgency. Heva looked over her shoulder at her. The look on her face didn't bring comfort. She did know something, something out of place, something dangerous. "I do trust you, but I cannot stress enough how important it is that you tell me if something is going on with you. I understand you need rest…but if something comes up I am only a com badge away. Do you understand?"  
Though there was a tone of sincere concern underneath Deanna's words, there was also something more demanding about them. It was as though she were giving Heva an order rather than a suggestion.

Heva merely nodded and retreated as fast as she could. "_Get away from her, quickly." _The voice said in panic. Heva was barely around the corner from her quarters when she felt as though she were about to collapse right there in the hall. She clutched her forehead in pain, though her entire skull seemed to be erupting.

She stumbled through her door and half ran, half fell toward the bed. The soft, cotton sheets welcomed her with open arms and before long she found her eyelids too heavy to hold up any longer.  
When her eyes opened, she felt confused and sick. She sat up slowly, still holding her head and looked around. "Computer," she said with a shaky voice. "Tell me what time it is."

"It is currently 09:30." The computer replied almost cheerfully. The uppity tone irritated Heva, although she knew the computer sounded the same no matter what it said.

Heva tried to stand and gasped in surprise when she saw Data sitting in the chair by her desk. He just stared at her through the darkness without saying a word. "You scared me…" Heva whispered, fatigue plaguing her senses. Data stood and sat beside her putting a comforting arm over her shoulders and bringing her close to him. Heva found tears falling down her face once her head came to settle over his chest. Soon, sobs were falling out of her mouth with no control and they showed no signs of stopping.

Data rubbed her back and kissed her head, making Heva feel safe at last. "It's like…I don't know who I am half the time now. I can't stand it! I can't stand feeling like I'm going to wake up as a different woman and do something…horrible!" Data put a finger under her chin and lifted her head. He smiled down at her and let out a long, quiet "Shhh." Heva reached up with her neck and kissed him gently. He kissed back lovingly, making Heva's world melt away. They parted for a moment to look into one another's eyes before diving right back in and losing themselves.

Everything Heva worried about, everything she feared, everything she found hopeless melted away and she found herself lost in their passion. Her hands searched the back of his uniform and brought the zipper down forcefully. Without severing their connection, Data removed his uniform and began undoing hers quickly, impatiently even. Heva moaned deeply into Data's lips and ripped her cloth away from her body and pulled him onto her.

Their mouths danced wildly and their breath grew quick and shallow. Heva's undergarments seemed to disappear and were replaced by Data almost instantly. Heva cried out in pleasure as she felt him crawl deep inside of her. Their hips began to rock back and forth to a tribal beat, heat rising in Heva's chest making her cry out to him for more.

Data lifted himself onto his knees and lifted Heva's legs over his shoulder. Heva found herself lost in ecstasy with every thrust he plowed into her. He moved faster and faster, moaning with satisfaction as he watched himself move in and out of her. He dropped her legs and flew down to clasp his lips with hers.

Heva wrapped her arms around him and dug her nails into his back. It was almost too much for her to bear. He slowed to a mellow andante, torturing her to beg for the sexual rollercoaster ride he put her through just moments before. She let out a moan of disapproval and looked up into his eyes. He smirked down at her, pleased with himself. He wanted to hear her plead for him to move faster, to pound harder, to make her scream.

"Please!" She breathed. "Give me more, please!" She implored him as she used both hands to push down on his hips, bringing him deeper inside of her. He nodded and brought down one, rough thrust after the other. With every one, she screamed out loud and gripped the back of his neck to bring him down and kiss him. Their tongues swam in one another's mouths for a long time before Data extracted himself from her and in one swift movement, lifted her and turned her over onto her hands and knees.

Heva smiled and turned to look over her shoulder at him. "Give it to me, now!" she demanded. Data complied immediately, entering her slowly from behind. Every inch of him that penetrated her made her quiver in delight. He sat still inside her for a moment, drinking up the pleasure every bit of warmth gave him before pounding in and out of her at a speed that drove her absolutely insane with glorious pleasure. "OH GOD!" She screamed. "YES!" He seemed to speed up to the point where he blurred as he moved. It was fantastic and Heva couldn't get enough. Her hands clutched the sheets so tightly her nails were cutting through into her palms.

He reached out and pushed down on Heva's back, making her fall face first into the pillow with her posterior still in the air. Data gripped a handful of her long, auburn locks and pulled, making her neck arch backward. She winced, but the pain only brought the desire for more.

Data left her and she turned over, jumping onto him making him fall back and jumped on top of him as he sat up. She sat on his lap with him inside of her, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. She tilted her head back as their hips swayed, hitting her in places she never knew were there. The moment was coming closer and closer and finally Heva couldn't take it anymore. She threw herself back onto the bed, pulling him down along with her and bucked her hips up to meet his. She looked up into his eyes and could tell he wasn't far off either. She leaned up and whispered in his ear. "Make me cum." Data nodded, his cheek brushing against hers and without warning he grabbed her wrists and held them on either side of her head. He pushed forward, bringing her legs up to an angle and thrust as hard as he could with the same speed that had driven her crazy before.

Then, as though a comet was rushing through her body, Heva exploded into orgasm and cried out. Data soon joined her and the moment seemed to last for hours until Data collapsed beside her. Heva's breath slowed gradually as she lay there in bliss. "Oh my goodness…" she said, her breaths still coming in hurried waves. She turned over to lay on his chest, his arm around her.

"That was incredible." She whispered up into Data's ear. "I love you, Data."

In an instant, Data was sitting up. His expression was livid. "Data!?" He growled. "You called me DATA!?"

Heva recoiled in fear. The voice was his, but it wasn't. His eyes were wild with rage and his body flexed, ready to strike. "Lore…" she whispered in fear.

He turned his head away slightly, his eyes closed with a disturbing grin on his face. He shook his head and looked up at her, scowling. "YES, I'm LORE! You were thinking of HIM the whole time…WEREN'T YOU!" He rushed forward at her and Heva jumped from the bed, the blanket wrapped around her. Lore stepped off the bed and ran at her, a hand raised. She lifted her arms to shield herself to no avail. Lore's hand met her cheekbone with such force that she fell to the ground. She held her cheek and stood, angry. She spotted her phaser on the table beside her and grabbed it. She pointed it at him, setting it to kill.

Lore eyed the weapon and cackled wildly with amusement. He grabbed her wrist and lifted her arm into the air. Heva pressed the trigger, nothing happened. The weapon was disabled. She let out a cry of defeat and another in pain as Lore's hand met her throat, squeezing tightly to block her air supply. Heva gasped for oxygen, getting none. "You are MINE! Do you hear me?! You are MINE! YOU CANNOT ESCAPE ME! YOU ARE MINE!" Lore cried over and over as Heva fell away out of consciousness and then….

Heva quickly sat up, shouting with horror and gasping for air. Her eyes opened and scanned her empty quarters. Confused, she ran her fingers over her throat, she could feel no swelling in her flesh. She let her hands fall into her lap and she looked left and right. There was no one here with her. She was still clothed. She only had a nightmare. Never the less, something told her that this dream meant more than what it seemed to mean. Soon, Heva was curled up on her bed, shaking with sobs of despair and terror at the prospect of never being able to escape the hell she thought she left on the freighter.

Suddenly, her entire head flooded with heat and a bloodcurdling scream filled her room. Her hands clutched so tightly at her head that her nails sliced into her scalp. A small trail of blood fell over her ears and forehead as she sat up, suddenly calm. She smiled to herself and approached a mirror. She eyed the trail of blood on her face quizzically and wiped it away with her sleeve. Satisfied, she changed into a clean uniform and left.

* * *

Author's Note: I am SO sorry it's been so long since I last submitted to this story. I have been so caught up with school, life, and trying to find a job. It's been rough. Plus I haven't had internet since late November. So that didn't help either. Anyway, sorry this chapter seems so thrown together. But I finally had inspiration and I just had to get it out of my system before I went insane. I will be submitting more chapters more often this time, I promise. Please don't hurt me...:P


	20. A Matter of Duty

"Hello, Beverly."

Doctor Crusher jumped and threw a hand to her chest before her eyes fell on Heva, who was leaning casually against her desk grinning widely at her. "Heva!" Beverly breathed. "You startled me. It's so late, I expected you to be asleep."

Heva chuckled and gave a short leap landing her self on the edge of the desk, swinging her feet and leaning her chin casually on her folded hands. "Sleep is for the weak." she chimed. Beverly eyed her strangely. "What's the matter?" Heva asked nonchalantly. "I don't know…" Beverly answered. "You just seem so…happy." A roar of laughter erupted from Heva's throat and she shook her head at the doctor. "Why shouldn't I be happy? I'm alive. And after….such an experience as mine, what's not to be cheerful about?"

Beverly took a step back from Heva and nodded shortly at her. "Well…I suppose you're right. Um… was there anything you needed, Heva dear?"

Heva hopped off of the desk and began fiddling with a medical tricorder beside her. "I was just wondering…" her tone suddenly dropped and became urgent. "You don't think there's a way that Lore could reach headquarters before us…and release the virus on our superiors, do you?"

Beverly let this inquiry sink in with a wary mind. Why would Heva be concerned about this? Why would she be asking HER of all people? Why was she acting so strangely?

"I'm not really sure…I don't think so." Just then, Beverly knew what she had to do. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go and do some more research on the antivirus. In the meantime, you should get more rest." As she walked past Heva, she felt a chill erupt up her spine and she quickened her pace.

Heva turned slowly to look at Beverly as she left, smiling coldly after her and grabbing something quickly before she herself rushed through the sickbay doors.

"Thank you, Beverly. However this is not the first report of this type of behavior. Which is exactly why this meeting has been called." Jean-Luc said more to the entire senior staff than just Beverly. All of them, including Data, sat uneasy before their captain. The meeting had been called shortly after Beverly left sickbay and rather than hold it in the observation lounge, it was held in Jean-Luc's private quarters, with an inconspicuous guard outside the doors.

"I've called you all here to talk about Heva. I realize we have other things to attend to like locating Lore's ship and getting back to Earth to retrieve a small sample of the plague to study the antidote on…however I think the bigger problem lies here on the ship with us."

"We have all noticed a considerable change in Heva's behavior," Deanna added. "However it's obvious that there is no coincidence between her sudden return to the Enterprise and her strange actions. We believe that she is either not the real Heva…or something has been done to her by Lore."

"Like what? You think he could have built an android double of her and planted it on the ship?" Will suggested cautiously, catching a troubled glance from Data out of his left eye.

"I don't think so. I would have noticed something in surgery." Beverly argued.

"Do you think Lore is controlling her somehow from his ship? As if by some sort of remote control?" Geordi asked.

"Data," Jean-Luc began casually. "Can you think of anything Lore might have done to Heva to make her behave this way?"

Data remained still for a long moment trying to contemplate the Captain's question. He tried his best to remain professional but the past week was incredibly breaking for him. He had to maintain control and not lose himself in his feelings the way he had been. He had to remain vigilant in order to help Heva…

"I am not certain. For all we know, this could merely be the mental effects of Lore's torture….on Heva…" he trailed off and slumped slowly back in his seat. Will extended a hand to rest on Data's shoulder.

"Whatever's happening," he said, still looking at Data. "We'd better find out quickly. Who knows, it could get worse and we will never get Heva back to the way she was."

"Suggestions?" The Captain addressed his staff wearily.

"Put a 24 hour guard on her, if she does anything suspicious or her behavior takes a turn for the worst we can contain her." Worf interjected immediately.

"She's not a fugitive!" Data snapped, making Worf stare down at him apologetically.

"Unfortunately, Data, he is right." Geordi calmly argued. "We can't just leave Heva to herself and expect nothing else to happen. She could become a danger to herself or others in her state of mind we don't know. However… I don't think we should make it obvious that she's being watched."

"What do you suggest?" Worf asked.

"What if we put hidden cameras in her room?" Will chimed in.

"That would take too long, besides she never stays in her room." Deanna replied.

"I can watch her…" Data came in quietly. All of the senior officers looked at him somberly. Geordi knelt beside him and added his hand to his other shoulder. "Are you sure, Data? What if you give yourself away or you're called to do something else? I think even Heva would get a little suspicious if you were at her side 24 hours of the day."

"Geordi's right, Data." Beverly said. "She could get violent towards you if she requests you to leave and you just…stay there."

"I can handle her…Even if she becomes hysterical I can find some way of continuing my watch on her." Data said to Beverly sternly, a look of raw determination in his eyes.

"The question isn't if you can handle her," Jean-Luc pointed out. "It's whether or not you'll be willing to report on her if she should do something out of the ordinary."

"What do you mean?" Data asked.

"Data," Deanna knelt before him, keeping eye contact. "Sometimes if someone is forced to do something that could compromise a loved on in any way, they will often protect that person rather than bringing them in for something they've done. For instance, if Heva were to do something to someone on the ship, you may find that instead of seeing her get in trouble for it an being contained, you will cover for her and hide her actions. It's something lots of people do and we don't know how you will handle the situation…it's new to you."

Data's eyes suddenly became hot with frustration and disappointment. A feeling of offense coupled with a feeling of defensiveness mingled in his mind. "Do you think me incapable of performing my duty?" he asked.

"It isn't that." Will tried to assure him. "It's just that…most people are compromised in this situation. Sometimes a person will find that their loved ones come before duty and they'll act on that impulse. We aren't saying you will for sure…we're just trying to prepare you for if that kind of thing does arise."

"We just want to be sure that you'll be ok, is what we're trying to say." Deanna said softly to him. Data remained stern as he stood and approached the Captain. "I will go through this assignment just as easily as any other, Captain. That I promise you. Even if it comes down to protecting Heva from getting a court marshall…I would rather her be thrown out of Star Fleet than do something she would regret…"

The Captain bowed his head and took a deep breath. He stood and put his hands on both of Data's shoulders, looking him in the eye. "I know, Data. I know." he whispered to him. "Go to her, and be sure to report anything strange."

Just as he finished giving his order to Data, a frantic voice came over the com system.

"Doctor Crusher! You'd better get to sick bay! It's Ensign Harvey!"

"What is it?" Beverly asked urgently.

"We aren't sure…but we think she has the plague."

In an instant, the entire room was emptied, a red alert was sounded, and Data found himself sprinting as fast as he could to Heva's room without any concern for anything else.


	21. Abnormally Normal

Doctor Crusher and the rest of Picard's senior staff rushed at lightning speed to sick bay where a pale, lifeless Ensign Harvey lay unconscious. Beverly hurried to her side, her medical tricorder materializing out of thin air in her hands. "There's no doubt about it Captain; it's the plague. And somehow she has been exposed to an incredible concentration of the virus."

"What do you mean? How did it get on the ship undetected?" Jean-Luc asked frantically. "That's just it, Captain, it isn't airborne yet. Ensign Harvey didn't catch the virus accidentally." Beverly carefully lifted Ensign Harvey's head and tilted it to reveal a small red circle on the nape of her neck. "Someone gave it to her through a hypospray."

A grave silence fell over all of them, only the sound of Ensign Harvey's deep rasping breaths penetrated it. One face appeared hauntingly in Picard's mind. However he refused to believe that even under some sort of mind control Heva would do such a thing. As Heva's captain, he had to believe that she had nothing to do with this. On the other hand, as a Star Fleet officer he had to explore ALL of the options. Before Jean-Luc could give his order, Worf expressed their shared thought aloud.

"I will dispatch security teams on this deck as well as the deck above and below us to search for anyone who could be responsible." he finished on a low note as though he as well as everyone there knew what they would find. They all knew they had to try and be confident in Heva, but how could they without solid proof at this point? Without another word, Worf left sick bay and called his teams to meet him down the hall while the rest of them stood rooted to the floor unable to find where to go next.

"Heva? Please answer the door. It is only me…Data." Begging Heva to open the door was starting to become frustrating. What was more was that he had to find a way to keep his eagle eye a secret from her. He understood the need more than he would have had this been someone else, but he found himself wrestling with the choice of whether or not to keep it that way. Here he was wrestling between duty and loyalty, just as he was warned he would do.

After nearly a half an hour of standing in front of Heva's quarters, Data decided to manually open her door. What he found was completely unexpected. Heva sat in her bed with a book propped up against her knees, a calm piano medley settled in the air around her. Her eyes scanned the book with the same resolve he knew to belong to her. Her demeanor seemed to be completely improved, it was as though nothing had happened to her. She was perfectly fine. And yet…something didn't feel right…

"Heva?" Data said cautiously into the room. Heva didn't look up, she merely kept on reading. Slowly and quietly, Data approached her as a person would if they didn't want to be noticed. Once he reached the bed, he gently sat beside her extending an arm over her legs so he could lean close to her; she didn't budge. "Heva…how are you feeling?" he whispered softly. This seemed to, at last, prompt a response from her. She looked up at him with a sort of childlike curiosity. It was as if she were looking at him for the first time.

"Data? When did you get here? I must've been completely distracted…I didn't even here you come in." her voice was so level and peaceful that it almost scared him. She looked, sounded, and was acting completely normal. Part of Data's mind told him that there was nothing to worry about anymore; she was fine. Yet something in the back kept prodding him, reminding him that no one JUST recovers out of nowhere. He decided, against some of his less attuned sources of judgment, to remain wary and try to play along.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you. If you like, I could let you get back to your reading material and I can sit over there where I will not disturb you and-" his motor was stopped by Heva's finger pressing against his lips. The feeling was comforting to him and he settled into it without hesitation. "Data, it's fine." she replied leaning forward to kiss him lightly on the lips. "I was actually wondering why you haven't come to see me today. I've been lonely." Heva pulled Data into a long embrace and he settled beside her, allowing her to doze off on his chest. As he watched her gracefully slip away into slumber, he began to wonder what ever drove him to think there could be anything wrong.

Not long after he was sure she was completely out, he called the Captain to meet him outside her room. "Is everything alright, Data? Do we need security?" the Captain asked hurriedly. "No, captain. On the contrary, everything seems to be…perfectly fine." There was a brief silence from the other end before Jean-Luc muttered back "I'm on my way." and before long he was shuffling down the hall toward him.

"Ok, what's this all about? What do you mean things are 'perfectly fine'?" the Captain asked hastily. Data interrupted him by pressing a finger to his own lips and shushing. He walked into Heva's room quietly and asked the Captain to follow. They both stood looking in a shared feeling of disebelief at her serene, sleeping form. "This must be the first time she's slept in days." Jean-Luc whispered to Data through the silence.

"It is, sir. And that is not all. When I first arrived, she would not answer me. Finally, I entered the room to find her concentrating on a book she had been reading prior to her capture. She was acting like nothing ever happened to her." Both of them soaked in this before Data went on. "However…I am concerned. I know I should be happy that she is alright. But I also feel suspicious, wary, and confused. How could Heva have completely recovered in such a short amount of time? And the timing seems off…just a few hours ago she was acting strange. Now, after the attack on Ensign Harvey, she is fine. I am unsure whether or not to think she did the deed, or if she is simply…better."

"Your guess is as good as mine, Data. I don't understand it either." the Captain replied, his gaze fixed on the sleeping enigma before them. "Keep your watch on her. Regardless of these developments we can't rule her out. Search her room for something that could tie her to Ensign Harvey." "But, sir!" Data argued back. "Data," Jean-Luc cut him off. "I know you don't fully understand everything we're asking of you. We're asking you to watch the woman you love just in case she is dangerous and that is a hard thing to accept but you have to try and remember the rest of the people on board this ship. And I know that if she is involved that will be even harder for you to accept but you have to remember that sometimes your duty to your crew has to come first. Even Heva would understand that. In fact, you might even be doing her a favor."

Data hesitated for a moment on this before nodding and letting the Captain out. He looked around the room wondering where to being his search…and debating on whether or not to do it, fearing what he might find.


	22. Unwilling Devotion

Data along with Worf's security team found nothing to point a finger at Heva for the crime. Now even more disturbing problems arose. The most likely option was that there was an intruder onboard either in league with or turning out to be Lore. Now the whole ship was crawling with security. However although the suspicion turned away from Heva, there was still something that didn't feel right to any of them. Jean-Luc needed to be sure about what was going on and decided on a different tactical strategy. Deanna now sat before Heva in her quarters, watching her as she flipped idly through the book settled on her knees looking casually distracted.

"You don't need to worry, Heva. We're only concerned because you seem to be suddenly better when your condition was so bad before." Heva scoffed and turned to face the Counselor. "If that's all you're worried about why do I feel like a prisoner in my own room. Is a security detail really necessary?"

Deanna drew a look of understanding on her face and leaned forward to pat Heva on the leg, attempting to comfort any harsh feelings she knew she had. "That's just a precaution. After an experience such as yours and after the behavior you exhibited before…we just find it strange that you seem to have made a full recovery so quickly."

"You make it sound as though I were diseased." Heva said, sounding mildly sarcastic. "Now, Heva." Deanna said, almost motherly. "Surely you can understand our concern. We merely want to know that you're alright before you return to duty. And unfortunately…" Deanna hesitated, not knowing how she would react regardless of her calm disposition. "Unfortunately you're confined to quarters until we leave headquarters."

Almost instantly, the feelings Deanna could feel from Heva dropped to freezing and she gained a glare so foreboding she felt herself backing away from her. "I beg your pardon, Counselor?" Heva asked coolly, her voice changing drastically. Deanna attempted to remain vigilant and prepared for the violent outburst she knew was coming. "You're confined to quarters until we leave headquarters. It's only until tomorrow-"

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER! I NEED TO GET INSIDE HEADQUARTERS!" Heva roared, sending her book flying across the room and coming to stand almost instantaneously. Deanna stood her ground and gazed hard into Heva's eyes. There it was again, that same cold and lifeless atmosphere in them that she'd seen before. Her suspicions were confirmed and the plan was suddenly set in motion.

"I understand." Deanna said, trying to sound mildly frightened. "I will talk to the captain. Perhaps he can make an exception. I'm sure you could even use a bit of shore leave to clear your mind a bit."

Heva's shoulders relaxed and her lips moved into a satisfied smile. She sat back on the bed and looked up at Deanna. "Thank you. That will be just fine. I think I could use some time off myself, actually. Being on the ship has given me a case of cabin fever." With that Heva stood and retrieved her book ending up where she started on the bed. Deanna slowly sat down to face her again, gaining a confused look from Heva. "Was there something else you wanted to discuss, Deanna?"

"Yes, actually." Deanna began slowly. "Data has expressed some concerns to me personally that he requested I bring up with you. And I don't think I need to remind you that I will keep everything we say here in confidence. Whatever issues you have you can deal with outside of our session but I won't get in the way."

Heva closed her book, closed her eyes and gave a small chuckle. "What is Data concerned about? Me? Or our relationship?" She asked this question in such a sarcastic and careless way that it almost surprised Deanna. However she had to remember everything she was told about this assignment and kept as level of a head as she possibly could so as to not give herself away.

"Both, as a matter of fact." she replied. "He's worried that because of your dealings with his brother-" "His name is Lore." Heva interrupted with a growl of defiance. "And I know what you're going to say. Data is worried that because Lore 'tortured' me that I am going insane and that I may be thrown away into a comfy white cell where he will never see me again. If that's what's to happen, so be it. Data, along with the rest of you, don't have a clue what Lore is really like. The injuries I sustained were not from torture but from a spill I had coming down the steps of the bridge to accompany him. You all think you know what happened on that ship? Well you don't. Lore is a sophisticated, charming, and perfect being and he should be given more recognition. Oh sure, you're going to say that no one who is so power hungry should be given any sort of second chance. Well maybe if you all listened to what he has in store for the Federation rather than sit idly by and make rash assumptions you would understand that what he is doing is for the greater good. What he is about to do is beyond anything we as humans could ever accomplish. He could drastically improve our way of life, give us the help we need. He, along with the androids he will most certainly produce not unlike Data and himself, have the capability to build weapons that could even eradicate the Borg. How could we pass up a chance such as that? You're all naïve, blind, and arrogant. And as for Data, well perhaps he doesn't have the vision or the drive that I see in Lore. So perhaps Data should take a look at himself before he could even think of being good enough to stand beside his brother in anything he plans to do. Maybe he should stop worrying about me and put himself first. Maybe he should look at his so called growth as a person and realize that he is nothing more than a machine who wants to be something that is less than perfect. Maybe he should be more like Lore. Maybe we all should. I will thank you to tell Data to keep his concerns about me in a box under his bed and go on about his duty like he's supposed to and I will also thank you to leave now. This conversation is over."

Even this response took Deanna by surprise and although she felt so much anger and so much hatred toward her, the crew, and even Data from Heva…she knew that somewhere deep down she didn't mean it at all. Deanna stood slowly, looking down at her friend feeling a deep sadness and longing to find a way to bring her back and left.

Heva stared after her suddenly feeling the searing pain in her forehead that had become all too familiar. "Get…out…of…me…NOW!" she growled through gritted teeth. She held her forehead gingerly and suddenly smiled, breathing hard while a single tear forced its way out and down her cheek. "We're almost there, darling." she said in a voice that wasn't hers. "Soon we will be rid of them and the plan will be complete."


	23. Evacuate!

"How can you still have not seen any sign of that freighter? You've all been looking for days now!" Jean-Luc cried at his monitor, making the face of Captain Robins wince like a frightened child. "I don't understand it either, Picard, but that's my report. We've done eighteen sensor sweeps of the region searching for even the slightest clue of his whereabouts. Nothing's come up! We've even had the Cygnus and the Opal keep a weather eye out for reports of new spreads of the plague and there is simply zero to report on. It's like he dropped out of space completely."

"No. No he's out there.." Jean-Luc whispered distractedly. "Thank you, Captain." he continued, suddenly alert. "My ship will be docking at headquarters within the hour. I will file your report with mine and we will figure out what to do from here." Captain Robins gave a curt nod and began to turn away but hesitated. "Is there something else you wanted to say, Robins?"

"Actually, sir…" Robins began, looking wary. "About the sudden illness of your crewman…Ensign Harvey?" Picard leaned back in his chair and sighed with frustration. "Who told you about that?" Robins smirked. "Rumors travel fast, sir." Jean-Luc nodded, accepting this childish truth. "Anyway…I heard that it was done with a hypospray…and that you haven't found the culprit yet. I'm concerned for the well being of my crew as well as yours…you don't suppose this 'Lore' could have found a way to infiltrate us undetected and attack our officers, do you?"

Jean-Luc looked down at the perspiring face of his young, fellow captain. He understood his paranoia as well as his warranted worry and knew that if any solution was to be made for any of this, he needed to be sure that his colleagues remain in a good state of mind. Being that he was somewhat of a role model (though, he wasn't sure why.) he smiled gently down at Captain Robins and said "I don't think that's the case. We still aren't quite sure what's happened but the Ensign has been quarantined until she can recover and we still have security teams roaming the ship. I don't want you to worry about any intruders on your ship. You have a fine crew, and even if he was to get past your defenses, I know you'd all hold up very well."

Robins smiled with gratitude and after a final farewell and boat of thanks, he signed off. Jean-Luc looked up to find Deanna gazing down at him, looking weathered. "Deanna, when did you come in?" he asked, surprised.

"Captain, you were right about Heva." these words were enough to prompt a sudden release from his chair and he rounded his desk to face her. "Are you sure?" he asked, his tone soaked with urgency.

"Positive, Captain." Deanna replied, retrieving her tricorder from it's hoster on the back of her hip. "I had this running the whole time, the readings as well as what I felt from her confirm your theory. Somehow, Lore has found a way to control her from a distance. For a little while she seemed normal but I could sense that there was something blocking her consciousness from being dominant in her mind."

"What do you mean, Counselor?"

"What I mean is although Heva IS there, there is also something else. Not someone, something. It's almost as if there is an artificial personality implanted into her mind. The new personality has gradually adapted to its new surroundings and infected the rest of her mind so that it alone remains dominant. The Heva we know is fighting so hard to resurface."

Jean-Luc and Deanna shared a hard look before Deanna confirmed their worst fear.

"Whatever this is, it's strong and it needs to be stopped or we will lose Heva for good."

"And that's all we know about it so far. Lore has done something to alter Heva's behavior and he plans to make the change permanent. We don't know how and we don't know why. All we know is that we need to figure something out and fast or we are going to lose a great officer, and an even better friend…"

Jean-Luc finished the debriefing and let his last words echo in the minds of his senior officers. Each of them seemed to be off in a completely different world. Data, however, seemed more aggressive than he had ever been before as hestood and spoke first.

"What do we do?" his words struck low, fierce chords driven towards complete strength and sudden raw determination; just like the Data they all knew.

"We wait." Picard said flatly. "We wait to see what Lore has planned. Let things go as they had planned and just when he thinks everything is going accordingly, we will trip him with his own laces."

"But what about Heva?" Geordi asked. "Didn't you say that if we don't remove whatever is causing Lore's mind control we'll lose her? For good?"

"Yes. However Beverly and Deanna have both informed me that Heva has a particular interest in getting inside of headquarters. We have to assume that Lore is planning some sort of attack from the inside and he's going to use her. We'll follow her in and just before she goes through with the plan we'll stop her. By that time Lore will know she's in and will come back for her. That way we'll know what his plan was and we can use that as a means of capturing him. Make him think the plan went through and lure him in."

"What if that doesn't work? What if he expects something like this to happen and doesn't come?" Will asked. Data gave the Captain a strong, thoughtful look and both of them knew what to do without even saying it.

"He will come. Because I can guarantee that I have something to do with this. Whether or not we have realized it yet, I know that if I am there…he will not be able to resist coming. Knowing Lore, he will try to entice me into joining his conquest. When that happens, I can find a means of either apprehending him…or destroying him…" Data's words trailed away and suddenly Heva's face entered his mind again. His chest felt heavy and the strongest feeling of confidence washed over him. "Even if he had no intention of involving me to begin with…by kidnapping Heva and doing whatever it was that he did to her involved me."

Deanna smiled up at Data and Will pat him on the shoulder. Just then, the red alert siren resonated around them. Jean-Luc pressed his com badge and called to the bridge. "Picard to the bridge, what's the situation?"

"It's Commander Brookes, she's released an entire canister of the plague virus into the ventilation systems and beamed over to headquarters…O'Brien reported seeing her transport something else with her when he came to…it looked like a bio container." Faster than any of them thought possible, they all leapt to their feet and ran as the Captain shouted orders to different parts of the ship. "Any decks showing any signs of the virus evacuate immediately and beam over to the station! Quarantine any infected decks with force fields! Mr. Worf grab your security team and search the northern part of the station. Data, Deanna, Will, you're with me. Beverly tend to any crew members who have been infected and get a medical team to anyone unaccounted for! MOVE!" With that, he along with Data, Deanna, and Will, disappeared off of the transporter pads and appeared in a corridor of Star Fleet headquarters. All was quiet as they drew their phasers and rushed forward.


	24. It's Over

The halls of Star Fleet headquarters were unnaturally quiet as red lights illuminated the walls to a deep shade of pink while Picard and his team sprinted through. They knew that by now the Enterprise had informed the officials of the station and a widespread evacuation was more than likely taking place. Each of them were silent, their phasers drawn, ready to fight to save so many lives…including Heva's.

Data kept his gaze forward, searching the halls for any sign of Heva or Lore. Every circuit in his body burned with a fiery hatred toward Lore and he found himself anxious to face him when the time came.

As they rounded one of the corners ahead of them they heard voices. Jean-Luc raise a fist in the air signaling them to slow down. As they quietly began to sneak forward toward the voices, they listened and all of them froze as they recognized the one speaking the loudest.

"Please do not treat me as though I'm some sort of fool, Admiral. There is nothing you can do to stop us. I am going to release this virus, not only on this station, but on the entire planet below us. Isn't that right, my darling?" Heva's voice casually drawled out.

"Indeed." Lore replied, chuckling evilly. "Regardless of what you give me, how much you've cooperated with my orders, or how well you think you would do in the future…you all will die along with the rest of your precious Federation. And we..we will rule over the new era together bringing order and sweet, SWEET justice at last."

Data nearly leapt forward, his phaser raised, before Picard threw his arm out to stop him. "Not yet." he whispered urgently. "I understand you're angry but now is not the time for vengeance." Slowly, he crawled forward while the Admiral began to plead with Lore.

"If you want more respect or recognition or even a place among us as an equal you will have it! Just please reconsider this! What will it accomplish?"

Lore let out a hearty laugh and as Jean-Luc rounded the corner he saw him push the Admiral back and place a foot on his chest. He rested his arms on his angled knee and grinned down at him. "It will accomplish the perfect world. The perfect universe! Soon, only beings of absolutely flawless nature will consume the galaxy and spread until nothing else remains. Those of you that remain will be the slaves instead and all will be just as it always should have been." With his last word, he threw a hand dramatically in the air and he looked back at Heva, smiling. He lowered his hand to reach for her and she walked forward to take it when Jean-Luc finally stood.

Heva and Lore looked at them as they all filed out, pointing their phasers at them as though looking at guests coming in for a party; their smiles never wavering. "Why, Captain…and my dear brother! So nice of you to join the celebration. We were just about to inaugurate the new era. Perhaps you would be interested in a small taste of things to come?" He reached over and pulled a small detonator out of Heva's uniform pocket. He shook it from side to side between his thumb and forefinger before gripping it and letting his thumb hover above the button.

"Brother." Data cried, reaching an arm out and gently placing his phaser on the ground. "Please…reconsider what you are planning to do. These people are not what you came for…take me instead." Data looked at Heva, searching for the slightest gleam of concern in her eyes. Her expression was blank aside from the smirk she wore on her tiny, pink lips. Data turned away from her and back to Lore, who was scowling at him.

"You are of no interest to me…'brother'." Lore spat at him. "I've found a companion who is loyal and doesn't question my motives. She doesn't fret with her own humanity. Her eyes are set on our goal without question. She can accomplish more for me and our cause than you could with your pathetic quest to become something you will never reach. Heva is my link to my own personal quest, and she will be for the rest of her pathetically short life."

Data felt the fury begin to burn and attempted to keep control in order to keep Lore unaware of Will, who was now sneaking behind him miraculously undetected. "Lore, I swear to you if you let Heva go and take me instead I will not even utter a single doubt to you and I will help you in whatever way you wish me to help. So I ask you to change your decision. Take me and return Heva to the Enterprise as she was."

"I am not going anywhere with you, Data." Heva interjected. She stepped forward and took Lore by the hand, sending Data's confidence plummeting into pure blind rage. "Lore is different, charismatic, a genius all his own. And there is nothing you can do to take me away from him. We're over, Data. A brand new beginning is in store for me. It's something you could never give."

She turned to Lore and drew close to him. Just before their lips touched, Data let out a cry of fury and retrieved his phaser. He aimed at Lore and fired but instead hit Heva, who Lore pushed in the line of fire. "HEVA!" Data cried out as he watched her slowly fall before him and hit the ground.


	25. Reaching to the Light

Will jumped out to capture Lore as he began to flee the room but missed and hit the doors as they shut behind him. He pressed the command buttons beside them with no luck. "He's locked the doors, Captain. It'll take me a few moments to override the command…" he halted as he saw the heart wrenching scene before him. Data cradled the lifeless body of Heva in his arms, looking down at her with forlorn eyes. Blood fell from where the phaser blast cut through her left shoulder, her breath shallow and slow. Deanna quickly knelt beside them, scanning her with her tricorder. She breathed a sigh of relief and closed it. "She's still alive, she's just unconscious."

"I could have killed her…Lore almost made me kill her…" Data muttered down at Heva's calm face. His grip on her tightened and he glared up at the door Lore had just escaped from. Will was frantically pressing different command buttons trying to crack the lock Lore had on it. Data was about to get up to help him when Heva's hand gripped tightly around his forearm. Her eyes were wide, frightened and urgent. "Don't…let….him…" she forced through red teeth. "Get…to…his…ship…"

"Just lay back, Heva.." Data whispered to her, laying her back on Deanna's knee. Deanna gently caressed her hair, trying to calm her to no avail. Data reluctantly jumped up and began helping Will open the door, ready to sprint after Lore and stop him once and for all. Jean-Luc knelt beside Heva and gazed down at her pain ridden face. "Heva?" he said quietly. Heva's eyes snapped toward him. Her whole face contorted and she grabbed his uniform. "Captain…" she sputtered, blood splashing against his com badge. "I'm…sorry…" she groaned, gripping tighter on him, pulling him down.

"Heva, you've done nothing wrong at your own will. Just lie back-"

"No…GET IT OUT!" Heva cried, slapping her other hand to her forehead. She began scraping at her hairline and screamed at the top of her lungs. "I NEED TO GET IT OUT OF ME! I CAN STOP HIM!"

"Tell me how. Tell me how to get it out." Jean-Luc pleaded her. She gazed hard up at him and seemed to force her eyes down to his tricorder and phaser. "Scan between…both hemispheres of my brain…you should find a…signal being given to a…neural receiver between them…find the signal…frequency and set your phaser to….the corresponding level in order to sever the link…"

The Captain stared wide eyed down at Heva. Somehow, even with a strong mind control device implanted in her brain she could still find a way through it. "Hurry!" she urged. Jean-Luc quickly pulled out his tricorder and began scanning up and down her head until he found the signal beacon at the hairline above her forehead. He ran the tricorder down to the back of her neck and found where the command signals were being transmitted into her brain and calculated the frequency. He reached for his phaser and hesitated after he set it to the correct setting.

"I'm not sure I can do this…what if you die?" he said, perspiring as he held the phaser against him. A tear fell from her eye and she lurched forward, another surge of pain flooding through her head.

"That's the risk…you have to take…Captain…" she forced, coughing up another small amount of blood onto his uniform. She turned to Gaze over at Data, a longing look glazing her eyes. He looked back at her looking deathly frightened before continuing to work the door with Commander Riker.

"Just in case…" she reached down and pulled out a small phial. Inside was a mint green liquid that entranced the Captain as he took it. "I grabbed this as fast as I could…before Lore caught me and did this to me…it's the cure for the plague…give it to Beverly…tell her I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough…to get it to her sooner…"

Jean-Luc stared mystified at the small phial of antidote before shoving it in his pocket. "It isn't your fault, Commander…You're going to be fine now just lie still. I'm going to try my best to do this correctly so that we can take you back to the Enterprise." Heva nodded and lay back as Jean-Luc pointed the phaser at the very center of the top of her head. He tensed up and with one last breath, he fired.

Data stopped working as did Will and they looked on as Heva fell limp against Deanna's chest. The door behind them suddenly whooshed open revealing a long, dark corridor. Jean-Luc looked up at Data's worried face and nodded at him. "Go. Find Lore and stop him before he kills everyone in his path. We will take care of Heva. That's an order, Commander!" he finished, sensing Data's hesitation. With that, Data and Will rushed out of sight down the hall.


	26. Don't Destroy Your Humanity

Half way down the corridor, Data and Will found a weapon's case and cracked it open to retrieve two phaser rifles. Data fumbled with the settings until it was at maximum. Will extended an arm toward Data and grabbed his wrist. "Are you sure you want to kill him, Data? He should be incarcerated, not eliminated completely unless absolutely necessary."

"You saw what he did…and what he has done. How can you stop be from getting rid of him!" Data growled back, trying to move forward but Will pulled him back and glared into his eyes. "Data, I've known you for years. Your quest for humanity is one that I've admired as unique and it is what makes you who you are. I also understand your anger and I know you want him to pay for what he's done to Heva as well as all of those people who've died…But if you kill Lore in cold blood without giving true justice a chance to meet him the way he deserves…you will destroy that quest in one fell swoop. I can't let you do that to yourself…you're my friend and I won't let you destroy the life you've made."

Data relaxed away from him and leaned up against the wall. "I have seen countless humans react on impulse from their emotions and wondered how they could let something that seemed to trivial to me hold so tightly on to them and make them act in such a way. Now here I am…going on without even thinking. Even Heva would not want me to destroy Lore completely…unless it was the last thing we needed to do…"

He slowly looked back at Will who returned his gaze with understanding. He placed a hand on Data's shoulder and lightly shook him, making Data feel calmer as he reset the rifle to a lower setting. He rose the rifle and nodded at Will and charging forward cautiously.

Each door they past was tightly locked and even as they scanned for any signs of Lore inside, they knew that he wouldn't be in any of them. The search seemed to go on for hours and all Data could think about was Heva laying lifeless against Counselor Troi behind them. Her hurtful words replayed in his mind many times and he had to keep reminding himself that they were staged; not her own. What brought him the most pain was that she could be dead behind them and he would never have gotten the chance to see the Heva he loved again.

Now all that mattered was ending all of this. Even if she was gone, she wouldn't have wanted him to quit and mourn for her. Lore had to be stopped, no matter what happened to him now.

Just at the end of the last hall, they heard a loud crash and slowed to a stop. Will rushed forward and held himself against the wall, peaking around the corner to see of the coast was clear. He nodded forward to Data who slinked over to the doorway before them and quietly entered the room ahead. It was a docking bay. Across the massive room was a shuttle facing away from the docking bay door. Outside of the door, Lore's ship hung in the vaccuum of space Lore was on the other side of the bay, growling at a control panel he was attempting to use to beam himself out.

Data turned back to Will and without saying a word, they both rushed in with their rifles pointed across the room at Lore. "It all ends here, Lore." Will shouted in a deep, commanding roar. "You're going to come with us and all of this death is going to end. You're not going to harm anyone anymore after today."

Lore slowly turned to face them and shook his head, scoffing at them. "Well, Commander Riker, it looks like you've got me. I'll go quietly, after I've infected your entire planet."

"That is not going to happen, brother." Data argued confidently, approaching him slowly with his rifle never falling. Lore laughed even harder at this and smiled wickedly at Data. He picked up a nearby phaser and pointed it right back at them both, making them stop. "Who's going to stop me, Data? You?" he asked, chuckling loudly. "You don't have the gall to pull the trigger before I do. You wouldn't kill ME. I'm your brother…and you're too good to murder me even after all I've done."

Lore rose his phaser toward Will. Data rushed to the side and tried to push him out of the way but was too late. Lore shot and Will fell to the ground, motionless. Data rushed to his side, examining him quickly for any signs that he may still be alive. Lore cackled loudly, letting his evil laugh echo throughout the docking bay. Data slowly rose his head to sneer up at his brother. "Go on, Data. Shoot me. Kill the man who murdered your friend right before your eyes."

Lore slowly approached Data who stood to meet him, raising his rifle as he stood protectively over his fallen comrade. "Kill the man who killed thousands of innocent strangers just so he could gain full control of Star Fleet. Kill the man who took control and violently tortured and mercilessly injured and nearly killed the woman you love. DO IT Data! I implore you to prove that you have the slightest capability to do so." As he reached Data, he pulled the rifle forward and pressed it into his stomach. He stared mockingly into Data's eyes and whispered menacingly at him:

"Pull the trigger."


	27. Loyalty

Data shook as Lore held his phaser rifle to his stomach. No matter how enraged he was he knew he could never blindly kill his own brother. No matter how many despicable acts he'd committed he just couldn't bring himself to fire. Lore sensed his and let out a howl of victory laughter.

"I knew you couldn't do it." He pushed the rifle away from his stomach and backed away, leaning his head to the side with a crooked smile painted across his face. "And so here we are again left with a choice. Brother, I never intended to have Heva at my side. You were right. I just wanted to make sure you were loyal to me first. The offer you made stands. You can come with me. We can create a world all our own just like we always wanted."

"You mean what you always wanted." Data retorted angrily. "You know I never had any intention of going with you. I only wanted to save Heva."

Lore shook his head and looked at Data with a mocking look of sympathy. "Poor, poor Data. Well, I suppose that purpose was dashed now wasn't it? Heva's gone, brother. So now you are free to join me."

"You should learn to check your facts, Lore."

Lore and Data both snapped their heads toward the new voice that joined in their morbid conversation. Data felt as though he would sprint toward the door as he saw Heva stumble in, her own phaser rifle cradled in her hands targeting Lore. She stared daggers at her prior captor as she shuffled forward. A stream of blood fell from her mouth and from her forehead. Her hair was matted against her face and it looked as though she could barely stand. Though she felt weak and knew that at any moment she could lose consciousness, she continued forward focused on her main objective.

"Ah, Heva my dear. I'm so glad you came through. Perhaps you can help me in making a critical decision." He twitched his head and looked expectantly at Heva. It was obvious to Data that whatever he tried to do had failed when Heva stopped a few feet away with her rifle still pointed directly at Lore's head. He sneered at her and she smiled. "You really think my colleagues wouldn't find a way to disable the mind control device, Lore? Did you really think I wouldn't be able to help them either? Looks like all of your plans have backfired."

Lore looked at both of them one at a time before making a snap decision and grabbing Data's rifle and pointed it right at the spot where his heart would be. Heva stepped forward and Lore stepped closer to Data, making her halt. He then pointed the rifle at her, then back at Data. "What a choice. Should I have a queen at my side? Or should I take my brother in her place? What a predicament. You are indeed a strong individual Heva. I can see that you're more than worthy of me. Data however shares a sameness with me you could never accomplish. Both of you are such great choices. But let's see which of you is more loyal to me."

"I was never loyal to you." Heva spat at Lore. He held up a finger at her and wagged it back and forth. "You forget, my dear. You did everything I told you without argument. And you did them very well. For which I thank you. You tested your sample of the virus on your crewman. You convinced your chief medical officer to get the Captain to avert your course away from me and come here so you could get me in."

"How?" Data asked. "How did she help you to get into headquarters?"

Lore looked at Data as though he were a primitive form of life and laughed under his breath. "My dear brother, I was following the Enterprise the entire time. Cloaked. None of you could see me. How else was I to control Heva? I couldn't do it from far away, the device has a short range. Besides, I knew that your Captain wouldn't even begin to think that I could be following behind. You all thought I was on my way to some other planet to distribute the virus. Once again, their lack of the ability to think of all possibilities aided me in my conquest. So here we are."

"I would never have helped you if I'd been in the right state of mind. It was because of you that I did anything. Well now I am able to think for myself and I would rather DIE than do anything other than get rid of you for good." Heva yelled at Lore, more blood pouring from her mouth. Lore reached out to wipe it away making Heva raise her rifle more to point right in between his eyes. He gave a cold look and said "I admire your drive, Commander. Which is part of the reason why I want you to accompany me. However as I said before. I need to test both of you in order to make a decision…and how sweet this test is. Two lovers fighting to find their place at my side. Who will it be?" He twitched his head again and Heva fell to the ground crying out in pain.

"What is this?" she shouted. Data rushed forward but Lore halted him with the rifle. "You didn't think to severe the secondary receiver now did you?" He laughed out loud while Data looked on, feeling suddenly helpless.


	28. Last Stand

"Take me, Lore. End this and let her go." Data pleaded urgently as he watched Heva writhe on the ground holding her hands against either side of her head. Lore watched her with a sickeningly pleased look on his face. "No, I think I would rather see how well you do under the stress brother. It's time to see how much you've grown."

"What do you mean? You said yourself you weren't sure whether or not to take me or Heva. You wanted to know who is more loyal to you. Well I am making it apparent now. Take me. She will be of no use to you. Let her go."

Lore lowered the rifle and again shook his head as he laughed wickedly down at Data. "There is only one way I can be sure of your loyalty to me, brother. If she gets away she will more than likely disable the device again and tell Star Fleet how to reach me again. She knows everything about my plan and how to find my ship. She has to be eliminated." Data suddenly felt a cold stillness overcome him which then boiled into rage as Lore lowered the rifle toward him.

"Kill, Heva." he ordered coolly.

Data stared, his hands now in fists. "Never." He shoved the rifle away and jumped up to tackle Lore. He swung, knocking his right fist into Lore's temple. Lore retaliated by throwing Data to the ground and kicking him hard in the back of the head, causing him to roll backward.

Data looked to his left and saw the rifle he'd shoved out of Lore's hands and reached for it. Lore pulled him by his ankles before he could reach it and planted a foot hard into Data's chest. Data grabbed his ankle and twisted it, making Lore fall to the ground and Data climbed on top of him. He twisted Lore's arm behind his back and tried to pin him. Heva shook her head and struggled to a stand. "Heva!" Data called. She looked toward him and down at the rifle. A look of understanding came over her and she reached for it but just before she got to it, Lore wriggled out of Data's grasp and pushed it away with his foot.

He stood again and tried to rush toward the phaser he originally shot Will with but was halted as Data pushed him making him fly toward the wall. He hit with a bang but came to his feet with ease and he spotted the phaser rifle on the ground, grabbed it, pointed it at Data and prepared to fire.

A shot rang out and Lore's head exploded, bursting into millions of pieces before Data's eyes. His body halted, fell to the knees and slumped to the ground. Data stared for a long time down at Lore's body before he turned and saw Heva holding the other phaser rifle she'd originally come in with. She tossed the rifle to the ground and rasped a sigh of relief. Data rushed toward her and took her in his arms. She wrapped hers around him and held him tightly. "I thought I lost you." He whispered to her as he held her close.

"You'll never lose me." Heva replied, her voice muffled from her face being in his chest. "Commander Riker!" Data suddenly cried, pulling Heva by the hand to where Will lay only a few feet away. They crouched beside him and Data scanned him with his tricorder. "He is alive. We must get him back to the Enterprise. Do you think you can help me carry him?"

"No one is going to carry me." Will interjected weakly, rolling over and allowing Heva to help him sit up. Heva threw her arms around him and parted holding his shoulders. He winced and she pulled away, finding blood on her hands. "Well, Heva. At least you won't be the only one in sick bay who's been shot in the shoulder." He smiled at her and looked over at Lore's lifeless body. "I suppose the last resort became absolutely necessary?" he asked heavily.

"For me, yes." Heva replied. Will turned to her and saw her looking lovingly at Data, understanding and not bringing it up again as they stumbled down the corridors back to where the Captain and Deanna waited for them. Data held Heva close the whole way, never looking back at the pieces of his past that now inevitably lay on the floors of the docking bay.


	29. Walking Away From Trauma

**In the days that followed, the cure for the Arimur plague was multiplied and given to those that were still ailed by the plague. Areas that still carried the plague through the air were quarantined and gaseous forms of the antidote were sprayed about them in order to destroy it completely, as instructed by Heva. While Heva still lay in sickbay, the Admiral came to decorate her and Beverly with medals in honor of their work and to Heva for saving the rest of the galaxy from Lore's plan. She accepted it laying back on the bio bed and sighing. **

**Despite being thankful for the gratitude shown to her and Beverly for the work they did and for her destroying Lore before he could continue, she still felt as though any minute he would walk through the door and take her again. She looked over at Will who sat talking to Deanna, his arm in a sling, a pad in his hand with his report. She wondered what would have happened to him if she hadn't told the captain what to do in order to severe the link. What would have happened to all of them if she allowed Lore's control to continue instead of enduring the pain she did to return to normal? What of Data? She said all of those horrible things and even if they weren't her own words, she was sure that they still stung him deeply. **

**Deanna turned to face her and as though reading her mind, she excused herself from Will. He looked over at Heva and understood immediately. He nodded at her and smiled as he left sick bay. She smiled after him and made room for Deanna to sit beside her on the bed. "How are you feeling? Deanna asked. Heva looked away and out the window watching the stars twinkle by them. She wasn't sure how to answer and she was sure Deanna knew that. So, she replied with the only one she could think of. **

"**I'm not sure how I am. I still feel afraid…I feel as though even though Lore is gone that he will still find a way to come back for either Data or for me. He violated me in a way that only the Borg could duplicate. And I feel weak for being so shaken up by it. I know that it's normal considering the damage that's been done. But what's troubling me is that he tried so hard to get me to betray Data and if I hadn't tried as hard as I did to fight against it…I would have whether or now I was willing to. If I was only more careful I could have stopped him sooner and gotten the cure to Beverly, gotten the information on his ship to the Captain and he would've been caught sooner." **

"**You can't blame yourself for not getting to him sooner. You are only one person against a being stronger than yourself. The fact is you still fought as hard as you could and you did end up stopping him. Millions of lives are in your debt because of that." Deanna took Heva's hand and held it tightly, looking at her friend with solemn eyes. Heva smiled weakly back at her and sighed. "How's Data…I haven't seen him since I got my medal. **

"**He's been on duty. He told me to tell you to meet him in his quarters as soon as his shift was up. He gets off in about an hour. Do you think you're ok to walk?" **

"**I think I can manage. I've been laying here for almost a day and a half…it seems like so much longer. Either way, Beverly has done an exemplary job in healing me. I just feel a little sore is all. I don't think she'll scold me too harshly if I leave a little early." she looked down and began to feel afraid that things between her and Data had somehow changed. What if instead of bringing them closer together, this tore them apart somehow? **

**What if he never forgot the way Lore had almost kissed her? What if he couldn't put the fact that she defended Lore and was so cold to him because of it out of his mind? Would he keep in mind that she wasn't herself and that underneath she desperately wanted to cry out and tell him that she was still there somewhere? All of these questions burned into her heart and though she tried to smile, Deanna saw past it all and put a hand to her face. "Heva," she cooed soothingly. "Don't worry. Just go and see him, everything is going to be alright. He loves you. That fact hasn't changed in the past year and I know it didn't change in one week. No matter how traumatic things have been, you two will be just fine." **

**Heva leaned forward and hugged Deanna, shutting her eyes tightly to keep the tears of gratitude from retreating. "Thank you, Deanna. You're a wonderful friend." she said, slightly sobbing. Deanna rubbed Heva's back and held her comfortingly for a while, knowing that she not only needed it but that it was the best thing for her. **


	30. Whatever Comes Our Way

Data walked slowly back to his quarters, reflecting on his conversation with the captain just a few moments ago. Just before his shift ended, he heard the Captain clear his throat and he turned to look at him. Jean-Luc had nodded his head to the side, pointing to his ready room and without saying anything, they both walked there together.

Jean-Luc walked to the replicator and like so many times before, he asked for a steaming hot cup of Earl Grey Tea. He took the cup from the shelf and inhaled the scent of the steamy brew deeply before sitting behind his desk. Data sat in the chair just in front of him and shifted slightly. The Captain looked thoughtfully over his mug at Data, contemplating him for a moment before finally speaking.

"Data, I have had this funny feeling all day that you've wanted to talk about this with me. Now I am all ears." He leaned back and sipped deeply from his cup, never letting his eyes leave his friend.

Data was unsure how to begin. He found it silly to worry about something when the situation itself was solved and they could move on. He didn't understand the human preoccupation with the past, even as he experienced it. "I don't understand…" he began slowly. "…how I can be so…distracted by events that are no longer happening. When Heva was abducted by Lore, I felt as though everything around me was breaking down. I tried to remain confident and tried to perform my duties no matter what happened. I knew she would never want me to fall to pieces in the face of something troubling as I never have before. She always reminds me how strong I am as a person, regardless of how little experience I have with things that help humans grow stronger. When we were in the shuttle bay with Lore, it was even harder to stay…focused. The thought that he could kill her, or both of us…it made me feel almost helpless. But I still knew that we would survive somehow. I was determined to keep him away from her. Then she saved my life…and it was over. Now only a day later I still fear for what could have happened. I am grateful that she is alright and back to her normal self. I am also proud of her for being honored by Star Fleet. But I still notice how tense she is. I am afraid that she is disappointed that I wasn't the one to save her or that I didn't stand up to Lore the way I should have."

"If I remember from her report," Jean-Luc interrupted. "She described your actions as being:" he picked up a pad and read aloud from Heva's report "'Brave and selfless. The perfect example of what a Star Fleet officer should be. Data is a big part of the reason I fought so hard to regain myself along with the memory of my crewmates, my Captain and the life I have.'" he paused for a moment, watching Data think on what he'd just read before continuing. "Data, people don't get over traumatic experiences quickly. There is always some healing that needs to be done. We all have been through something that will take time to move past. You and Heva in particular and everyone understands that Heva especially needs to collect herself. But she is a very strong person, regardless of the things that she's been through she came out alright and she will heal completely in no time. As far as the feelings you have, they are completely normal. You played a big part in helping Heva through this, so don't go thinking for a second that you're not. We all did our part and you need to remember that the things you're feeling will pass. It's completely…human."

Data looked into Jean-Luc's eyes and smiled with gratitude. He nodded at his Captain and stood. "Thank you, Captain. I believe I understand. Now if you will pardon me, I have someone I need to go and see."

Jean-Luc grinned. "Go to her, Data."

Now Data was pacing in his quarters, waiting patiently for Heva to arrive. He contemplated taking her in his arms and relishing every moment he had with her. He felt a sudden new and deep appreciation for her existence, knowing that someday she wouldn't be there. He would cherish every second he had with her as much as he possibly could.

The doorbell sounded and he hurried to the door. It opened and Heva stood there, staring happily up at him. She silently glided through the door and slipped like a glove into his arms. He embraced her gently and kissed her head. For a long time they merely stood wrapped up in one another, thankful that they were together again after what seemed like a thousand years apart. Each second that passed made their love for each other grow deeper and deeper.

Heva lifted her head and spoke. "I'm so sorry, Data. I wish I could have been stronger, sooner…so I could have come back to you earlier." A single tear escaped her eye and Data placed a hand on her cheek, wiping it away with his thumb. "There is no need to apologize. It is all over now, and everything will be alright. Do not dwell on what could have been, Heva. The important thing is we are here now, together."

Heva smiled and lifted up onto her toes so she could softly place her lips against his in a passionate kiss. As they parted, she whispered "I love you." to him and let her lips fall into his again, holding him closer to her. He never seemed to be close enough.

In that second, Heva suddenly felt the same comfort that Data felt after his conversation with the Captain. In spite of this experience, they knew that they'd prevailed against the worst of the odds not only as Star Fleet officers, but together. As the darkness of space flashed by them, they looked out at the billions of stars winking at them trying to search for their next great adventure. Both of them knowing full well that no matter what the universe threw their way, they would get through not only with the crew of the great U.S.S. Enterprise…but together.

* * *

Author's Note: I deeply apologize for my 14 month absence. Trust me I feel absolutely terrible for not submitting a chapter for over a year. I know that not even finishing the story really makes up for it but I hope it does something. So there you have it, The Beast Within. Personally, I feel I could have done better. But I'm still a little bit satisfied with the way things played out. I'm not gonna lie, it's gonna take me a while to get part 3 started. BUT I have an interesting request for all of you. I have 3 ideas in the works right now and I'm not sure which one would be best for part three. They're all good ideas...I hope...and I wanted to turn it into a vote.

I'm going to give the titles for each of the ideas I have. The first chapters for each of them have already been written so I can continue on from them. I want you all to vote on which title you like the most and that's the story I will continue on with. The voting will be open until February 10th. Until then I'm going to fill out a couple of requests that I've gotten to hopefully make up for my absence a little bit. OK so the titles are:

Just a Dream

The Queen's Right Hand

and

One For All

Please send me your votes in reviews or in PMs or however you please. Just please try to get them to me before the tenth.

By the way, thank you for the reviews and for being so gracious about the ridiculously long wait. I greatly appreciate it. Again I'm very sorry it's been so long and I hope this makes up for it.

Love,

Smitty


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